View of the Four Seasons hotel between two yachts docked at Zaituna Bay. (Credit: Mohammad Yassine/L’Orient-Le Jour)
Gulf nationals were expected to be at the heart of Lebanon’s tourism recovery, despite the wars with Israel and ongoing economic crisis. But they were scarce again this summer, accounting for only around 10 percent of Arab tourists who visited the country — although the UAE lifted in May the travel ban on its nationals visiting Lebanon. While the decision had raised hopes of a return of these visitors, “that hoped for return has not materialized,” says Jean Abboud, president of the Association of Travel and Tourism Agents in Lebanon. Read more War expected to cost Lebanon at least $3.5 billion in tourism and consumption “We can’t say that large numbers of Gulf tourists came this summer,” says Jean Beyrouthy, secretary-general of the Federation of Touristic Syndicates. Speaking to L’Orient-Le Jour, he described the 2026 summer season...
Gulf nationals were expected to be at the heart of Lebanon’s tourism recovery, despite the wars with Israel and ongoing economic crisis. But they were scarce again this summer, accounting for only around 10 percent of Arab tourists who visited the country — although the UAE lifted in May the travel ban on its nationals visiting Lebanon. While the decision had raised hopes of a return of these visitors, “that hoped for return has not materialized,” says Jean Abboud, president of the Association of Travel and Tourism Agents in Lebanon. Read more War expected to cost Lebanon at least $3.5 billion in tourism and consumption “We can’t say that large numbers of Gulf tourists came this summer,” says Jean Beyrouthy, secretary-general of the Federation of Touristic Syndicates. Speaking to L’Orient-Le Jour, he described the...
