Lebanon’s tourism sector is showing early signs of recovery as the summer season reaches its peak, with increasing numbers of incoming travelers and improving booking rates offering renewed optimism to businesses after months of uncertainty caused by regional security developments.
Industry stakeholders say the gradual return of expatriate Lebanese and regional visitors is helping revive economic activity, while tourism operators remain hopeful that demand will continue to strengthen in the coming weeks.
Visitor Arrivals Begin to Recover
According to Jean Abboud, President of the Association of Travel and Tourism Offices, total arrivals in June were down approximately 20% compared with the same period last year. However, the first ten days of July recorded an average of 11,000 arrivals per day, narrowing the year-on-year decline to around 15%.
Abboud noted that flights to Lebanon are currently operating with load factors between 80% and 85%, but the reduced number of available flights has limited overall passenger capacity despite solid demand.
Tourism Businesses Report Improved Activity
Jean Beirouti, head of the Syndicate of Tourism Establishments, said the market has shown noticeable improvement since June 12, with visitor arrivals increasing steadily and tourism activity regaining momentum.
He estimated that business conditions have improved by 30% to 40%, while Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport is once again welcoming more than 11,000 passengers daily.
Although many expatriates are staying with relatives rather than in hotels, Beirouti stressed that their spending in restaurants, cafés, shopping centers, and entertainment venues continues to inject much-needed revenue into the local economy.
He also revealed that the tourism sector has proposed discounted travel packages for visitors from Jordan, Syria, and Iraq, an initiative discussed with President Joseph Aoun, with the aim of attracting additional regional tourists.
Current projections indicate occupancy rates of 50% to 60% at seaside resorts, while mountain destinations are expected to achieve occupancy between 30% and 40%.
Hotel Sector Still Faces Challenges
Despite the broader improvement, Lebanon’s hotel industry continues to perform below expectations, as many returning expatriates opt to stay with family members.
Pierre Achkar, President of the Hotel Owners Syndicate, said weekend occupancy currently ranges between 30% and 40%, while weekday bookings remain significantly lower at 5% to 10%, well below the sector’s target of 70% to 80% on weekends and around 30% during the week.
Achkar attributed the weaker performance to ongoing regional instability, noting that concerns related to conflict and displacement prompted many Lebanese living in Australia and the United States to cancel their summer travel plans. He added that Lebanese expatriates and Arab visitors often make travel decisions at the last minute, leaving room for further improvement if regional conditions remain stable.
Optimism for the Weeks Ahead
Tourism professionals agree that Lebanon’s summer season has entered a gradual recovery phase, supported by the daily return of thousands of visitors. However, they emphasize that the sustainability of this positive trend will largely depend on continued political and security stability across the region.
With encouraging indicators beginning to emerge, the sector remains cautiously optimistic that stronger visitor arrivals and higher occupancy rates in the coming weeks will help stimulate economic activity and reinforce Lebanon’s position as a preferred summer destination for expatriates and international travelers alike.
