High drop in tourist flow

Lebanon posts sixth highest drop in tourist arrivals worldwide in 2011

Lebanon saw the word's sixth steepest decline in the number of incoming tourists during 2011 with a 24 percent drop compared to the previous year. Tourist arrivals to Lebanon stood at around 1.65 million in 2011.

According to preliminary figures released by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (WTO), tourist arrivals grew by 4.4 percent worldwide and dropped by eight percent in the Middle East throughout the year.

Lebanon posted the region's fifth steepest decline in tourist arrivals. It was only preceded by the four unrest-stricken countries Tunisia, Bahrain, Egypt, and Syria.

According to the WTO, tourism receipts in Lebanon totaled $8 billion in 2010, up by around 18 percent from 2009. The country ranked 34th worldwide and in third place regionally in terms of tourism receipts in 2010. Lebanon was outdone by Egypt ($12.5 billion) and the UAE ($8.6 billion).