Lebanon looks to visitors from Gulf as it pushes to increase tourism

Plans for new airport and launch of budget carrier come as effects of renewed ties start to show

A sandy beach on the Mediterranean sea in Batroun, northern Lebanon. AP

Lebanon is looking forward to a boost in tourism from Gulf countries as its new leadership works to rebuild ties after years of estrangement.

The UAE and Kuwait have lifted bans on their citizens travelling to Lebanon after recent visits by President Joseph Aoun, who has also travelled to Saudi Arabia and Qatar after taking office in January.

“Lebanon is moving in the right direction, getting back to the Arab fold – and that’s a Lebanese demand before anything else,” Fouad Dandan, Lebanon’s ambassador to the UAE, told The National.

Gulf tourists and investors − particularly from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the UAE − were significant contributors to the economy for decades before relations soured over the increasing influence of Iran over the country through Hezbollah. However, the Lebanese armed group and political party has been considerably weakened after a year-long war with Israel that led to them signing a peace deal last November.

Preparations for an increase in arrivals are already under way, with an additional terminal to be built at Beirut’s international airport. Plans for a new airport are also in the works, with Prime Minister Nawaf Salam announcing last month that the master plan would be unveiled shortly and the project thrown open to foreign investors.

To be called the Rene Mouawad Airport, the new airport in Qlayaat “could play a strategic role in facilitating cargo movement and affordable travel”, Mr Salam told a conference in Beirut on Tuesday.

At the same time, flag carrier Middle East Airlines is looking at setting up a low-cost carrier to serve destinations in the Middle East and Europe.

The budget airline would be a wholly owned subsidiary of the wider MEA group but fully independent, Mohamad El Hout, chairman of MEA, told The National.

He said MEA had seen “significant growth in passenger traffic” this month, and was forecasting year-on-year growth of 10 per cent to 15 per cent in the second half of 2025.

Given its history of conflict, Lebanon’s security forces have also been rallied to encourage more foreign visitors.

“Preparations are under way to welcome tourists, though the state is working with a limited budget. Efforts have been made to improve visitors' experience. The road from the airport to Beirut has been repaired, and political banners and posters were removed months ago,” a senior security official involved in the operations told The National.

“What’s new is the increased police presence near airport routes, especially at night. Police staffing has recently expanded to accommodate these new duties, and additional checkpoints are now active, with clear instructions to search suspicious vehicles and fine violators.”

In the long run, drawing more visitors to its beaches, mountains and nightlife could play a key role in Lebanon’s efforts to rebuild an economy hit by mismanagement, corruption and war, with the tourism sector estimated to account for 20 per cent of GDP.

“Eid Al Adha gives a glimpse of how this summer will look,” Jean Abboud, president of the Association of Travel and Tourist Agents in Lebanon, told The National. “We’re seeing new nationalities this year: Emiratis, Kuwaitis and Qataris. Gulf tourists tend to spend more time and money in the country.

“In May, airport traffic rose 11 per cent compared to the same period last year. The momentum is encouraging.”