National Geographic includes
Lebanon in best summer list

Ideal culinary and touristic destination

National Geographic has included Lebanon on its list of the best summer trips in 2018, particularly due to its food and beverages.

“Often overlooked as a culinary destination, Lebanon crafts the ideal summer mezze table in an equally ideal temperate climate,” said National Geographic.

In 2016, Travel and Leisure ranked Beirut as the best international city for food.

“Selecting the country as one of the best summer trips will boost tourism to a large extent, and will attract more Europeans,” said Wadih Kenaan, Secretary General of the Syndicate of Hotel Owners. The delicious and varied local cuisine is one of the top attributes that attract tourists, said Kenaan.

The number of European tourists is increasing, with 565,000 visiting Lebanon last year.

Besides the delicious food, the country boasts several touristic destinations, such as the open air markets of Byblos, one of the world’s oldest cities, and the Baatara Gorge Waterfall in Tannourine, National Geographic said. The country is full of history, with several cultural and religious sites. The magazine declared that Lebanon is one of the world’s oldest countries last year.

The Ministry of Tourism and the private sector’s efforts to promote the country abroad are paying off, Kenaan said. Videos promoting the country, shared on social media, also boost tourism.

“Sometimes tourists ask hotel staff how to visit locations that they saw on social media,” he said.

National Geographic is a world leader in geography, cartography, and exploration.