In solidarity with the Lebanese peoples valiant attempts to rebuild their country and continue with the development of their tourist industry Islamic Tourism begins a new series of features about this unique destination.
When Mart Maastik's friends suggested a ski vacation in Lebanon, he was hesitant . “Skiing in the Middle East? I'd never heard of that,†the 41-year-old Estonian said while standing in full skiing gear at the foothills of the Faraya-Mzaar mountains.
But Lebanon, with six ski resorts and a season that generally runs from December through April, is increasingly drawing not just Arab tourists, but Europeans, too, industry officials say. Maastik, who is in the real estate business back home, has skied in Austria, Andorra, France “and almost everywhere else,†but he feels Lebanon's slopes have a different flavor.
“This is quite exotic for us,†he said, saying he was taken with Lebanon's hospitality and its good weather.
Many foreigners come to Lebanon for the cheaper prices and relaxed atmosphere. The weather, less stormy and more sunny during the skiing season than at many European resorts, is also an attraction, as is the mountains' nearness to the coast and Beirut.
“You can ski in the morning and go fishing or shopping or sightseeing in the afternoon. It's a very unique advantage,†a local travel agent pointed out.
The best equipped and most popular of Lebanon's ski areas is the Faraya-Mzaar area, a one-hour drive northeast of Beirut. The resort has around 20 slopes and 53 miles of ski trails. Other areas include Laqlouk, Zaarour and The Cedars — the highest of the resorts with an altitude above 6,600 feet.
Sam Waugh, 22, a learning support teacher from Britain, said he'd always wanted to learn skiing but was too intimidated to do it in Europe. So when his brother who works in a refugee camp in Beirut suggested Lebanon, he agreed.
“It's really good. No one laughs when you fall here. No one cares,†he said as he struggled in his skis.
Although there are no official figures for the number of visitors, industry officials say the number of visitors is growing, with tourists coming from all over the Arab world and Europe.
Skiing as a leisure sport is catching on among Arabs, most of whom live in hot, desert countries. “We're getting young people from the UAE (United Arab Emirates), Kuwait, Jordan, as well as Western expatriates living in those countries,†said Nicole Wakim, sales and marketing manager for the Faraya-Mzaar resort.
An indoor ski dome was opened last year in Dubai, complete with snowmaking jets and huge air conditioners to simulate the real thing.
The Lebanese resorts also have benefited from toughened security in Western nations since the Sept. 11 attacks in the United States.
“All the Arabs who used to go to foreign countries suddenly became subject to intense scrutiny. Arabs do not like that and are choosing to come here instead,†he said. AP
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