Lebanon sees influx of Qatari, Kuwaiti tourists during Eid al-Fitr holiday, says tourism head
Tourism official Pierre Achkar announced that Lebanon experienced a rise in arrivals from Qatar and Kuwait during the Eid al-Fitr holiday.
He noted that Iraqi tourists were the largest group visiting Lebanon in previous years, followed by tourists from Jordan, Egypt, and Syria.
Achkar also pointed out that many Lebanese expatriates from Arab countries, Africa, and parts of Europe visited Lebanon during the holidays, thanks to the extended Eid al-Fitr break in Arab countries, which allows them to travel.
He further disclosed that the recent Israel strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs before Eid al-Fitr led to a wave of booking cancellations. Still, despite this, hotels in central Beirut and other safe areas saw excellent occupancy rates.
Achkar announced that hotel occupancy in a few safe hotels in central Beirut reached between 70% and 80%, with some hotels reporting 50% to 60% occupancy.
He also noted that hotels closer to Beirut's southern suburbs or the airport recorded lower occupancy rates.
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