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- October 20, 202617°
- BIST10011,430-2.49%
- USD49.45+0.05%
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- INTEREST37.00%-1.00
- BITCOIN81,939-0.09%
- October 20, 202617°
Beirut airport traffic rises but tourism still awaits Gulf visitors
While daily passenger arrivals at Beirut airport exceed 16,600, sector representatives stress that lasting recovery depends on political stability and tourists from Gulf countries.
Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport is slowly showing signs of recovery after the war. Officials said daily passenger arrivals have surpassed 16,600, creating cautious optimism.
Mohammed Aziz, Lebanon's Director General of Civil Aviation, said that given current conditions, airport traffic is at an 'excellent' level. He noted that since the beginning of July, about 275,000 passengers have entered the country, while 157,000 have left.
Tourism sector cautious
Despite the airport activity, the hotel and restaurant sectors paint a more reserved picture. Tony Rami, president of the Lebanese Restaurant Owners Syndicate and vice president of the Tourism Unions Association, said that a stable tourism sector depends not only on visitor numbers but on security and political stability.
Rami said the country needs to regain its 'culture of life' after years of fear and crises. He noted that tourists from Europe and the Gulf have started arriving in limited numbers, but these signals must turn into lasting confidence.
Expectation of Gulf tourists
Khaled Nazha, vice president of the Syndicate of Owners of Restaurants, Cafés, Nightclubs and Pastry Shops, described the current sector activity as 'modest'. Nazha said the war caused severe damage and that the ceasefire alone has not restored tourism movement to its previous level.
Nazha noted that many Lebanese expatriates are booking their holidays in Turkey, Cyprus, and Greece before the security situation becomes clear, and that the possibility of renewed tension is affecting travel decisions. Reminding that tourism, along with expatriate remittances and exports, is one of the main sources of foreign currency for the country, Nazha said that currently the tourist profile is dominated by Lebanese expatriates, while Arab and foreign tourists remain relatively few.
Nazha added that the sector is mainly waiting for Gulf tourists from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Kuwait, stressing that these visitors, with their potential for long stays and high spending, play a critical role in the tourism economy.
Festivals canceled
The return of Lebanese expatriates is directly reflected in hotel, restaurant, car rental, and market activity. However, the cancellation of major festivals such as Baalbek, Beit ed-Din, and Jbeil has reduced the season's appeal. Therefore, many areas have turned to local events and domestic tourism.
Nazha noted that many weddings and large events have also been canceled due to the lack of security stability, and that these events rely on the country's capacity to attract visitors both domestically and from abroad.
While the activity at Beirut airport offers hope, the full recovery of tourism depends on political and security stability. Sector representatives agree that lasting improvement is only possible when the country achieves a stable environment after years of crisis.
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