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EturboNews. The outbreak of violence in Lebanon, which has included a wave of attacks targeting anti-Syria key political figures and the media, is part of a transitional phase, Tourism Minister Joseph Sarkis said.
“We are about to see the light at the end of the tunnel,” said Minister Sarkis told reporters, adding that the situation will return to normal allowing the tourism trade to rebound.
Sarkis said Lebanon will host in 2006 the 30th Forum of the WTO’s Middle East and North Africa commission while looking forward to beefing up support from the Madrid-based global tourism body.
Tourism is one of the major economic drivers in Lebanon, generating significant revenue for the national income. In 2004, around 1.3 million tourists arrived reflecting a 26 percent from 2003. The numbers grew high above the average regional rate of 20.5 percent in the Middle East region, impressive for a country whose population is only four million.
Of the 2004 total, 545,150 were Arab nationals, 338,475 North and Latin Americans, and 152,075 Europeans and Asians. Up till end of July 2005, statistics office said the country received 422,000.
Sarkis said he is determined to top 2004’s growth rate, if not, reaching at least the 1 million mark the country has traditionally enjoyed since 2000 until February 14 when the late Prime Minister Rafik Hariri was assassinated.
Sarkis, stressing the Lebanese resilience, said: “Terrorism has spread all over the world. Lebanon is not an isolated case. We have the will to go on and not live in a culture of fear. The message of terror will neither prevail nor deter us from continuing ongoing efforts. We have suffered long enough in an era of terror 15 years during the civil war; we will definitely not relive those moments ever again.”
“In Lebanon, terrorism is politically motivated, rather than carried out to endanger lives of tourists or scare them off. We know who are guilty and soon will put an end to the violence,” the Lebanese tourism chief added.
He also noted that while it is easy for the individual terrorist to plant a small bomb on the underneath car seats or on the street, they do not target the tourists unlike other countries within the region. “Terrorists may kill tourists but they will never kill tourism,” Sarkis said quoting David de Villiers, deputy WTO head at the opening of the WTO TOURCOM Conference September 20 to 21 in Amman, Jordan.
Tourism in Lebanon has changed in the last 10 years from a regional classical tourism towards a more diverse product selling eco-tourism, business tourism, sports and health tourism. “The Ministry if focusing presently on a sustainable tourism trend in order to promote economically and socially the different regions and facets of Lebanon. The hotel and restaurant sectors are trying to match the growth of traffic.”
“Maintaining Lebanon on the tourism forefront requires continued promotional efforts and a number of exciting activities targeted at matching our needs as a country that had suffered political problems. But we have managed to emerge stronger than before,” said Sarkis, adding though the security may have increased, Lebanon will continue to monitor the situation that affects its nationals, not tourists.
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