This is Beirut - Tourism

Summer 2025: Lebanon Reclaims Its Suitcases… and Its Traffic Jams

Christiane Tager, 30/08 10:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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Every summer in Lebanon carries a hint of uncertainty: a sunny getaway shadowed by geopolitical clouds. In 2025, the gamble partly paid off. While not quite reaching the golden era of 2018–2019, the season brought hope to a sector long on edge. Between July and August, Beirut welcomed more than 100 daily flights, with passenger numbers ranging ...

Surging Tourism is Polluting Antarctica, Scientists Warn

This is Beirut, 21/08 09:25 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Antarctica Pollution Tourism Environment

Soaring numbers of tourists and expanding research projects are increasingly polluting Antarctica, scientists warned Wednesday, a fresh blow for one of Earth's most pristine environments already threatened by human-driven climate change. In Antarctic areas where humans have been active, the concentration of fine particles containing heavy metals ...

Tourism: A Core Driver of Lebanon’s Economy

Liliane Mokbel, 16/08 15:00 - Reading : less than a minute

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In 2024, the travel and tourism sector contributed 19.8% of Lebanon’s GDP, more than double its share in 2023 (8.4%), according to the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC). This marks a significant rebound from 2019, when the sector represented 18.9% of GDP, before Lebanon faced a series of overlapping crises. In terms of revenue, the sector ...

Ministries of Tourism and Technology Launch “Smart Tourism App”

This is Beirut, 12/08 13:25 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Lebanon Tourism AI App Technology Innovation

Tourism Minister Laura Lahoud and Minister of Technology and Artificial Intelligence Kamal Shehadeh on Tuesday launched a free smart tourism application during a press conference at the Tourism Ministry. Designed and developed by Rodolphe Khalat and Hanna Daoud, the app serves as a personal assistant powered by artificial intelligence, offering ...

Jordan Sees Tourism Slump over Gaza War

This is Beirut, 04/08 17:10 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Jordan Gaza Israel Tourism

Jordan has seen a decrease in the number of tourists visiting its famed ancient city of Petra and other sites since the Gaza war began in October 2023, according to officials. Although Jordan does not border the Gaza Strip, it has been among several countries across the region impacted by the war between Israel and the Palestinian militant group ...

Expats in Lebanon: Celebrating Togetherness Amid Economic Strain

Marilyne Jallad, 28/07 17:30 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

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“Expats, I adore you! I was so happy to see you again and spend time together, especially after the summer of 2024, when war was raging between Israel and Hezbollah and we were overwhelmed by bad news and constant bombardment,” says Kareen, whom we met in downtown Beirut. Still, she adds a note of frustration. “It was really ...

Caminos Lebanon: When Pilgrimage Routes Drive Economic Revival

Christiane Tager, 25/07 14:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

tourism lebanon economy

The idea is bold: stimulate the economy by banking on pilgrimages. That is the goal of Caminos Lebanon, a sustainable religious tourism initiative backed by the Association for Pilgrimages in Lebanon (APL) and led by expert Nour Farra Haddad. The ambition is to turn Lebanon into a key destination for faith-based travel. But this goes far beyond ...

The Country Is Full and So Is Mom’s Sofa

Christiane Tager, 22/07 23:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

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At first glance, everything points to a booming summer season: the diaspora is back in large numbers, the airport is stretched to its limits with nearly 100 flights a day, and the highways resemble a Lebanese remake of the Paris ring road. But behind the scenes, the tourism picture tells a different story. Hotels are struggling, occupancy rates ...

For Visitors from Abroad: Don’t Bother Trying to Make Sense of Lebanon!

Marc Saikali, 22/07 09:30 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

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For everyone planning to spend their vacation in Lebanon, here is your survival guide to a country where nothing works, yet somehow everything does. First of all, getting to Lebanon is no small feat. Plane tickets cost so much, you might as well be booking a business-class trip to Mars. Let’s say you sold your house in France or Canada and ...

Record Year for UK Music Tourism Driven by Global Stars

This is Beirut, 02/07 10:30 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Music Economy Tourism Britain Culture

Music tourism contributed a record £10 billion ($13.8 billion) to the UK economy last year as fans flocked to live shows by Taylor Swift and other big acts, industry data from UK Music revealed Tuesday. "Charli XCX, Bruce Springsteen, Sam Fender and Dua Lipa helped lure a record 23.5 million music tourists to concerts and festivals," UK Music ...

Travel Agencies Hit Hard, as Lebanese Cancel Trips Abroad

This is Beirut, 23/06 13:30 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

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The disruption or cancellation of Beirut-bound regular flights, which had stranded hundreds of Lebanese in Egypt’s Sharm el Sheikh resort due to the escalating confrontation between Iran and Israel, discouraged many from taking summer breaks outside Lebanon. Travel agencies are bracing for significant losses with the increasing number of ...

Lebanon’s Tourism: The Endless Summer That Fails to Deliver

Christiane Tager, 19/06 23:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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Since June 13, the travel sector in the Middle East has faced severe turbulence following clashes between Iran and Israel. And as always, Lebanon — true to its role as the region’s perennial bystander in the wrong place at the wrong time — ends up paying the price, once again caught in the center of the storm. “The sector has suffered ...

Tourism