The Sharbel Matri family, residing in Dubai, has decided to spend the holidays this year with family, especially since they were unable to take a summer vacation in Lebanon due to work commitments and holidays: “Christmas is an opportunity for family gatherings where I will meet my brother, who is living in France, at our family home for the first time in years,” says Sharbel. Likewise, sisters Stephanie and Maria Rizk, who moved to France after the Beirut port explosion—one to continue her medical studies and the other to seek employment—plan to travel to Lebanon to spend the holidays with their family: “We are not deprived here of seeing the snow, but we miss the warmth of family and the festive bustle at home.”
Lebanese people are looking forward to a ray of light in the political and economic tunnel that seems to have no imminent end. If the political stalemate extends beyond the New Year, it appears that the holiday month (Christmas and New Year) will bring good economic news, particularly from the tourism sector, as Lebanon prepares for an important tourist season during the Christmas and New Year holidays, reflected in travel bookings on both Lebanese and Arab airlines, as well as hotel reservations, especially in Beirut and mountainous areas.
Similar to the summer campaign "Welcome to This View," which brought about 6 billion dollars to the country with the arrival of 1.5 million expatriates, the "Celebrating in Winter" campaign is expected to revitalize the tourism sector and inject hard currency into the markets. “Flights to Lebanon are fully booked,” according to Raymond Wahi, Secretary of the Syndicate of Travel and Tourism Offices, who talked about the “influx” of expatriates to Lebanon starting mid-December. Ticket bookings have exceeded expectations, resulting in larger planes being allocated next month and an increase in the number of flights, especially from Gulf countries and Europe, to accommodate the large number of arrivals.
In addition to the relatively long holiday break, ticket prices have played a role in attracting tourists and expatriates. For example, the cost of a round-trip ticket from Saudi Arabia to Beirut in December is 370 dollars, increasing to 470 dollars if coming from Qatar. The same applies to flight tickets from the United Arab Emirates to Lebanon, with these prices being generally acceptable, having surpassed 700 dollars during the summer season.
Jean Beiruty, Secretary General of the Federation of Tourist Unions, expects a good turnout in the upcoming winter season, building on what was experienced during last summer's season. According to Beiruty, “Many visitors benefit from the prices offered in Lebanese lira, which are very competitive compared to prices offered by other countries in the region.”
Regarding the hotel sector, the increase in bookings positively affects it, albeit to a lesser extent since most expatriates spend the holiday season with their families, while hotels rely on Arab tourists, particularly from the Gulf. Tourist establishments are counting on New Year's Eve, which is usually celebrated outside the home, in contrast to Christmas, where family gatherings take place at home. It is expected that holiday bookings will increase to 55% compared to the current range of 35% to 40%.
Despite the political deadlock remaining an obstacle to any economic breakthrough, especially in the tourism sector, which has suffered significant losses in recent years, Lebanon remains one of the best winter destinations for those wishing to experience European weather in an Arab country, as well as for skiing enthusiasts and those seeking a unique and cool escape.
