Arab tourists are back says tourism minister

Increase in the number
of visitors from all continents

Tourism from the Arab world has grown by 30 percent in Q1 2015, according to a report from the Ministry of Tourism, published today.

The report said that over 100,000 Arabs visited the country in the first three months of the year, compared to around 80,000 last year.

Visitors from Africa grew by 35 percent, Americans by 21 percent, Europeans by 19 percent and Asians by 13 percent. The figures showed that overall tourism grew by 23 percent. Tourism from Oceania showed the highest growth rate, with 39 percent.

In March 2015, Saudis visiting the country more than doubled to 5,000, compared to March 2014. Kuwaitis grew by 24 percent to nearly 1,800, whereas Emiratis grew by 65 percent to 688.

According to Jean Abboud, President of the Association of Travel and Tourism Agencies (ATTAL), this positive activity is linked to the stability of the country’s security. “Neighboring Arab countries are well aware that security is a prime concern to the Lebanese Government. They are convinced that this component will be guaranteed, this is why their tourists are back,” he said.

He said that if local parties agree on a political stability and consensus, the coming summer season will bring great results. “So far, we have reached a growth of nine percent in our ticketing, which is a great indicator,” he said.