Lebanon to star in European documentary

Minister of Tourism reassures: stability and security maintained across all regions

July 7, 2011- A European media delegation is in Beirut this week to film a 26 minute-documentary featuring the country’s touristic and cultural aspects.

Minister of Tourism Fadi Abboud said the film, which will be broadcast on TV channels across Europe, is highly important for promoting tourism. The Minister said tourism activity recoiled by 18 percent during the first five months of 2011. However, he said, the sector saw a 12 percent improvement in the numbers of visitors from Europe, America, and Africa.

Abboud said the Ministry aims to diversify the sources of tourists, and focus on promoting organized tours, which he said currently account for only three percent of the total numbers of visitors.

Separately, the Ministry of Tourism rebuffed misleading text messages that have been reportedly received by some mobile network customers. The Short Message Services (SMS) had allegedly warned recipients against the security situation in the country. The Ministry reassured that security and stability are maintained in all areas of Lebanon. These messages aim at distorting the country’s image, it said in a statement.