Public revenue increased after reopening of Jeita Grotto, says tourism minister

Lebanese Tourism Minister Laura al-Khazen Lahoud said Tuesday to President Joseph Aoun that “public revenue increased following the reopening of Jeita Grotto last July and the reorganization of its operations,” after eight months of closure.

Closed since the death of MAPAS-Liban CEO Nabil Haddad last November, the grotto — which was a finalist in 2011 for the ‘New7Wonders of Nature’ — no longer had an official manager.

MAPAS, a subsidiary of a German company, had operated the site since 1993.

Although its latest contract expired in 2022, it had been exceptionally extended since authorities were unable to launch a new tender amid the ongoing economic crisis.

The manager’s passing forced the state to consider a new management model.

Numerous voices in the media had criticized the slow decision-making and the prolonged site closure.

The site was finally able to reopen following a mutual agreement between the Tourism Ministry and the municipality of Jeita, allowing the city to manage and operate the grotto temporarily.

Lahoud also discussed with the president the “preparations” for the visit of Pope Leo XIV to Lebanon, which will take place from Nov. 30 to Dec. 2, with the program not yet announced.

More generally, the minister informed Aoun of “the strong tourism activity Lebanon experienced during the summer season, as well as the current state of the sector in autumn and preparations underway for the winter season.”

After a summer expected to be promising, particularly with the anticipated return of Gulf vacationers after years of absence, the tourism sector ultimately fell short of expectations due to security events in the region during June.