Summer profits 'faded': Lebanese tourism suffers blow due to regional developments

Pierre Achkar, President of the Lebanese Hotel Association, the Federation for Tourism Industries in Lebanon, and the National Council of Tourism in Lebanon revealed the significant losses the Lebanese tourism sector would incur due to the ongoing war in Gaza and developments in southern Lebanon.

Achkar considered in a statement on Thursday that it is premature to quantify the extent of the losses in the tourism sector. He expected that tourist establishments would lose the profits they had earned during the summer season.

Achkar disclosed that "European groups that had planned to visit Lebanon during October and November have naturally canceled their reservations in light of their countries' warnings against traveling to Lebanon."

He said, "With the end of the summer season, the tourism sector's activity was normal, but these events have ended it. Every foreigner or businessman who wanted to come to Lebanon receives a warning from their country not to travel to it."

"Additionally, every Lebanese person who had planned to visit Lebanon has canceled their visit. As for those who are in Lebanon, they have received advice to leave."

Achkar affirmed that it is too early to discuss the impact of these situations on the holiday season, as it is also premature to estimate the losses of tourist establishments. 

He affirmed that approximately 12 days have passed since the Al-Aqsa Flood operation, and there is no possibility of assessing the losses except at the end of these events, as establishments and the union continue to communicate with each other.