Authorities in Saudi Arabia have brought hope to the Lebanese tourism industry after lifting a long-standing travel advisory against trips to the country.
Travel advisories warning of a high threat of abductions had been in place since 2012, effectively putting a halt on tourism from the Gulf region to Lebanon.
Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and the UAE renewed their advisories earlier in 2014 after a period of extended insecurity, however the government has successfully restored order to a number of areas along the Syrian border, and in the city of Tripoli in the north of Lebanon.
Since Saudi Arabia lifted the advisory on 2 May, Saudi nationals have tentatively started to make reservations once again, but Lebanese tourism stakeholders expect a long road to recovery.
Speaking to the Daily Star newspaper, Kasper Wigen, marketing and communications manager at Hilton Beirut Metropolitan Palace, said; “The demand is very scarce for the time being, and in my opinion, the country needs time to recover.
“Even if we assume that they lifted the travel advisory, we won’t see increased bookings on the first day. It is not something we would see in the first day but it is kind of a process, and it needs time.”
He added that the Lebanese market needed to prepare for the return of Saudi tourists to the country.
Saudi Arabia removes travel advisory for Lebanon
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