Lebanon’s Minister of Tourism, H.E. Avedis Guidanian, and USAID Mission Director, Dr. Anne Patterson, launched on May 31st, 2018 the Travel Lebanon exhibition at the Beirut Hippodrome. MP Fouad Makhzoumi and many official representatives were present during the official opening of the event.
Dedicated to tourism, Travel Lebanon is organized for the fifth consecutive year by Hospitality Services with support from the USAID-funded Lebanon Industry Value Chain Development (LIVCD) Project and in cooperation with the Ministry of Tourism. The exhibition gathers more than 60 rural tourism partners over four days from May 30th to June 2nd, to promote their rural destinations, activities, guesthouses, and services across the country.
In addition, 18 rural tourism organizations exhibited several marketing and promotional tools completed as part of a USAID-funded grant entitled ‘Supporting Hospitality Services to increase the access of rural tourism MSME’s to rural tourism market opportunities’.
Minister Guidanian stressed that all of these initiatives and tourism fairs contribute to encouraging and improving tourism in Lebanon. “Travel Lebanon is a wonderful opportunity to launch the Lebanese tourism season. Rural tourism allows Lebanese and tourists to enjoy the beauties of Lebanon while, at the same time, sustaining local economies. The exhibition is a great display of the wonders Lebanese regions have to offer,” said Guidanian.
In her remarks, Dr. Patterson emphasized the U.S. government’s continuous support for Lebanon’s economic growth to increase employment and income generation through strengthening key sectors such as tourism.
“Travel Lebanon is an opportunity for visitors to discover more about the country’s rich tourism sector, specifically rural tourism, and meet those working in it in order to plan their ultimate summer in Lebanon,” said Joumana Salame, Managing Director of Hospitality Services. “We highlight so many of Lebanon’s hidden gems, including eco resorts and nature reserves, in order to encourage people to explore new places and enjoy memorable adventures throughout the season. Not only that, we also share local customs and Lebanon’s rich heritage by showcasing the work of many artisans, from glassblowers to potters. It really is a very special event.”
Travel Lebanon held concurrently with The Garden Show & Spring Festival | Beirut Hippodrome | 30 May – 2 June 2018 | 4-11 pm daily