The Ministry of Tourism has a target to attract more than two million tourists this year in a bid to that aims to break 2009’s record of 1.9 million tourists. It has launched a five year plan that fulfills this objective, which includes a broad scale of initiatives that promote Lebanon’s image abroad and offer visitors with attractive travelling packages.

Arab tourists were the highest in number totaling 169,759 tourists about 43 percent of the total, led by Jordanians. The number of tourists from Jordan has been growing steadily since the Lebanese and Jordanian governments agree to abolish the visa requirements between the two countries. In the first three months of the current year, 52,917 Jordanian visitors chose Lebanon as they tourist destination, followed by the Saudi tourists (31,916) and Kuwaiti visitors (20,8555 visitor).

In an interesting development, the number of Turkish tourists has grown by nearly 148 percent this year until March to 5889 tourists since the governments of both countries agreed to lift entry visas in November last year.

European tourists were the second highest in number accounting to 22.5 percent of the total number of tourists totaling 88,596 tourists, Asian tourists followed at a total number of 84,878 tourists.

Iranian tourists were the highest in number among all other tourists, totaling 57,352 tourists.