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LBCI
a day ago
- Business
- LBCI
Pierre Achkar warns Iran-Israel war threatens Lebanon's summer season
Pierre Achkar, the President of the Lebanese Hotel Association, said the war between Iran and Israel is already casting a shadow over Lebanon's tourism sector. In a statement, Achkar said the closure of regional airspace and the cancellation of incoming flights have begun to take a toll, adding that the aviation sector is facing growing disruption and chaos. 'Wars are the enemy of tourism,' he said. 'Any conflict has the potential to wipe out an entire tourist season.' Achkar noted that hotel reservations and planned visits to Lebanon are being canceled at an alarming rate. Just weeks ago, indicators for the summer season were highly optimistic, he said, but now the outlook across the entire tourism industry has turned bleak. He warned that the ripple effects of the conflict will not be limited to tourism but will hit other sectors and the broader Lebanese economy. 'We're hoping for a miracle to end the war between Iran and Israel,' he said. 'If the conflict ends soon and some kind of agreement is reached, Lebanon might be able to recover some losses and salvage part of the season. But if the war drags on, the impact on Lebanon will be unquestionably negative.'
LBCI
07-04-2025
- LBCI
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.
