www.gulfnews.com Tourists from the Gulf region will return to Lebanon in significant numbers once the country stabilises and infrastructure is rebuilt, people in the hospitality industry say.
Travellers from the Gulf are familiar with the country's tourist attractions and its people, and they will not shun Lebanon, said Rahim Abu Omar, chief executive of Al Habtoor Hospitality.
The group has an investment of $500 million in two hotels, a shopping mall, and a theme park in the Lebanese capital and is waiting for an end to the Israeli sea and air blockade.
During the 34-day Israeli onslaught on Lebanon, most hotels had to close their doors, but some business is slowly coming back as people working for foreign aid agencies and other organisations arrive.
"We know from the past that Gulf tourists will be going back to Lebanon soon," Abu Omar said, pointing out that after the 1975-90 civil war there was an influx of Gulf money and tourists into Lebanon that played a major role in the economic recovery.
Many Saudis and other Gulf citizens own property in Lebanon and tourism there had been on the upswing for the past three years.
It is estimated that Saudi tourists alone spend more than Dh50 million each summer on hotel and airline bookings for Lebanon. The Israeli attacks have broken that momentum for this year at least, according to Chahid Bouamrane, regional manager of Al Tayyar Travel in Dubai.
"Even if regular flights resume soon, there are other concerns," he said.
Bouamrane said the tourism sector's recovery will depend on the rebuilding of infrastructure and restoration of services.
Lebanese officials say tourist spots were not destroyed during the war. |