Number of tourists visiting Lebanon in August, increasing

Lebanon in August witnessed an increase in the number of tourists especially from the Arab states. The increase rate was 10.98% for the same month from 2003.

The Lebanese ministry of tourism said in monthly statistics that number of tourists was 212,000 in August.

The Arabs, especially from the Gulf states came in the first place in this increase, especially the Saudis who represented 46% of the Arabs, then came the Kuwaitis at 17% and then the Jordanians at 11%.

These official statements show an increase in the total number of tourists during the past 8 months of the current year at 31.42% in comparison with the same period of 2003.

At a time when Lebanon faces an economic crisis, it pledges to have a standard tourism season for this summer.

Tourism sector in Lebanon witnesses an upsurge after the end of the Lebanese war while it used to be an important source of revenue before the war. This sector has become an increasing source of attraction for the Arabs who are, no longer, feeling comfortable in the USA following the attacks of September 11, 2201 and also in European because of the high increase in EURO price.