Lebanon’s tourism industry is showing signs of improvement this year, with Colliers International forecasting occupancies of up to 49 per cent for Beirut hotels.
Tourist arrivals increased for the ninth month in a row in February, up 20.5 per cent year-on-year. Visitors from the Gulf countries registered a strong increase with double-digit growth from Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE as well as Egypt and Iran. 'Colliers reports an uptick across the board in January and February, from airport arrivals and average rate to hotel room occupancy,' said Nadege Noblet, exhibition manager for Arabian Travel Market. 'Lebanon has long been a favoured long weekend destination for GCC residents, and the added resurgence in Egyptian, and particularly, Iraqi tourists, has created new demand in recent months.'According to a report from Bank Audi Research Centre, this is supported by a rise in passenger traffic at Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport, which grew by 10.24 per cent year-on-year in the first two months of 2015, recording 419,369 passenger movements, a record high for the period. The Colliers forecast predicts a RevPAR for Beirut’s three-, four- and five-star hotel market of $78 this year, up 1 per cent from 2014, and ADR of $158.A March 2015 SGBL Eco News Report also quotes figures from the Institute of International Finance (IIF), which is similarly forecasting a healthy – and much-needed increase – in tourism receipts, which are set to rise by 7.9 per cent to reach $6.4 billion this year, with a further possible increase of up to 12 per cent in 2016, to touch $7.2 billion.'Lebanon’s diverse tourism product encompasses the stylish capital of Beirut with its chic cosmopolitan ambience and reputation for luxury retail, through to trendy beach locations, stunning natural beauty and mountain ranges, ancient cities and architectural heritage. This is a solid foundation on which to rebuild interest and drive inbound arrivals,' said Noblet.'In April 2014, Lebanon’s Ministry of Tourism launched its ‘Live, Love, Lebanon’ campaign, and this was a clear indicator of the government’s commitment to reviving the country’s tourism prospects as a major economic driver,' she added.According to the World Travel and Tourism Council’s Lebanon 2014 report, the direct contribution of travel and tourism to GDP was $3.2 billion (6.9 per cent of total GDP) in 2013. Travel and tourism is also estimated to indirectly contribute $9 billion (19.2 per cent) of GDP in 2013. In 2015, these figures are forecast to rise by 2.1 per cent and 2.2 per cent, respectively with the sector also generating 92,500 jobs in 2013; with forecasted growth of 2.7 per cent in 2014.Also, in July 2014, the non-profit organisation Beyond Beirut, which is funded by USAID, submitted a document detailing a five-year plan for development of a sustainable Lebanese tourism industry, which has been endorsed by various stakeholders including the Ministry of Tourism, ecotourism business and small guesthouse owners.Lebanese companies exhibiting at this year’s ATM include Saad Transport SAL, World Net Hotels, Rida International and Warwick Mena Hotel Management Company.