Both Jean Abboud, the head of travel agencies and offices, and Tony El Rami, the head of the restaurant owners’ syndicate, have sounded the alarm on the dire state of Lebanon‘s tourism and hospitality sectors.
Abboud described the situation as “catastrophic,” revealing that daily ticket sales have plummeted from $2.2 million to $500,000. Inbound tourism has also declined by 95%.
Similarly, Rami expressed deep concern over an 80% drop in tourism activities in Lebanon’s restaurants and entertainment venues during midweek.
He emphasized that tourism and national security are inseparable and criticized the Lebanese government for its lack of support. Rami stated that the Lebanese have become experts in crisis management and will continue to persevere despite the challenges.
Related: A Huge Fire Just Broke Out Following Israeli Strikes
