Laura al-Khazen Lahoud, vice president of al-Bustan International Music Festival and minister of tourism in the Nawaf Salam government. (Credit: Joseph Eid/AFP)
Since returning from London — where she spent the years of the Civil War — in 1994, Laura al-Khazen Lahoud has dedicated much of her time and energy to bolstering Lebanon's culture and tourism sectors. She became executive director of the legendary al-Bustan Hotel in 2021, which her grandfather, Emile Boustani had founded in 1963, and helped develop the classical music festival, founded by her mother Myrna Boustani in 1994, hosted annually at the hotel in Beit Mery. Now, as the festival's vice president and the hotel's director, Khazen Lahoud has added minister of tourism to her roster, and is embracing the role with a mix of enthusiasm and a deep sense of responsibility.Khazen Lahoud has always believed that, due to their innate sense of hospitality, dynamism and creativity, the Lebanese are the country's greatest asset...
Since returning from London — where she spent the years of the Civil War — in 1994, Laura al-Khazen Lahoud has dedicated much of her time and energy to bolstering Lebanon's culture and tourism sectors. She became executive director of the legendary al-Bustan Hotel in 2021, which her grandfather, Emile Boustani had founded in 1963, and helped develop the classical music festival, founded by her mother Myrna Boustani in 1994, hosted annually at the hotel in Beit Mery. Now, as the festival's vice president and the hotel's director, Khazen Lahoud has added minister of tourism to her roster, and is embracing the role with a mix of enthusiasm and a deep sense of responsibility.Khazen Lahoud has always believed that, due to their innate sense of hospitality, dynamism and creativity, the Lebanese are the country's greatest...