Lebanon’s Climate Challenge: Can the Land of Contrasts Preserve Its Tourism Appeal?

Lebanon's beautiful nature and unique weather have always been a major attraction for tourists. But could the day come when the country loses this advantage?

 

We have seen how European countries are suffering from heat waves much stronger than before, negatively impacting their tourism appeal. Lebanon is not immune to this danger.

 

Due to climate change, it is expected that the average temperature in Lebanon will rise by 2 degrees by 2040 (according to the World Bank). This means that we will face more droughts, a greater and more severe risk of wildfires, and a decrease in the number of snow days on the mountains, with an average of only 43 days. This would also be a significant blow to the ski season.

The result could be an annual loss of about $75 million in the tourism sector (according to the World Bank), with a decline in tourism revenues, closures of tourism businesses, and job losses related to the industry.

 

Lebanon, which is already experiencing an economic and financial crisis along with general mismanagement, must now figure out how to mitigate the effects of climate change on tourism.

 

If Lebanon does not take effective measures to adapt to climate change, it risks losing its standing as a top tourist destination.