Tourists to Lebanon decrease following the Hariri assassination

Officials in the Lebanese Middle East Airlines ( Middle East) announced that more than 65% of the volume of booked reservations on its flights coming to Lebanon were cancelled since the assassination incident of the former Lebanese prime minister Rafic Hariri last Monday.

The company officials indicated that the number of Saudi officials who visit Lebanon during this period of the year receded after fears of violence eruption in Lebanon.

In August this year, Lebanon witnessed a notable increase in the number of tourists especially Arab tourists as their number increased by 10.98% in comparison with the figures of the same month of 2003.

In monthly statistics, the Lebanese ministry of tourism said that number of tourists reached 212,000 in August 2004.

Arabs, especially from the Gulf states represent the top of the list in this increase especially the Saudis with a rate of 46%, followed by the Kuwaitis at 17% and then the Jordanians at 11%. These official statistics show an increase in the total number of tourists during the 8 months of 2004 at a rate of 31.43 % in comparisons with the same period of 2003.

The tourism sector in Lebanon witnessed a refresh start after the end of the Lebanese war as it used to be an important source of income before the war. This sector became an increasing source of attraction especially for Arab tourists.