Flourishing season: Lebanon's summer tourism overlooks growth in 2023

In just four months in 2023, an increase in the number of arrivals to Lebanon was recorded by 32.50 percent compared to the same period in 2022. 

These figures are built on by the tourism sector to double what it witnessed last year during the summer season. 

Alone, reservations in the coastal area so far range between 60 and 70 percent, an increase of 20 percent over last year. 

In the interior and mountainous areas, the same percentage and the level of bookings for foreign groups are greater. 

According to the observations of the sector owners, it is noteworthy that this year, our summer will extend to September and October. 

The demand is very high by groups of tourists from Europe and Arab countries, especially Egypt, and even expatriates are organizing trips to Lebanon. 

Why in these two months? 

Because we would have entered the low season, prices would be lower, and the most important thing is that Lebanon's weather would still be nice and warm, and all tourist facilities would still be operating. 

If we want to talk about travel reservations to Lebanon, then we can say that Lebanon's sky is "full" until the end of September, 100 percent, according to the numbers of travel agencies and according to the airport, which registered by monitoring the reservations of travel agencies more than one million and 500 thousand arrivals to Lebanon during the summer season that extends to late October, i.e., a 50 percent increase over last year. 

All these figures herald a great return on the economy. But the numbers of these revenues remain hidden until after the end of the season, according to those concerned, because we are relying on the cash economy in the absence of the banking sector, which alone determines the size of what we have brought into our economy and the revenues we have achieved from any sector.