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Ministry to launch board to boost Lebanon's image abroad

16 March 2010

BEIRUT: Tourism Minister Fadi Abboud announced on Monday that the Tourism Ministry is in the process of creating the “Promoting Lebanon Board,” a committee composed of private sector figures and chaired by the tourism minister.

“Its main goal is to devise a strategy aimed at improving Lebanon’s image abroad and to determine which means and methods would be used to achieve this goal, such as advertising and publicity campaigns in the international media to promote the rich aspects of Lebanon, and so on,” he said.

Abboud’s remarks came during a lunch debate organized by the American Lebanese Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) in honor of the minister.

He pledged “to push toward an advanced, competitive, sustainable and responsible tourism industry and to facilitate continued development through the tourism industry.”

Lebanon saw a record number of Lebanese, Arab and European visitors this summer, despite the biting global recession which hit the EU and several oil-rich Gulf states.

Abboud previously told The Daily Star that 80 percent of tourism in Lebanon was concentrated in Beirut.

“Our efforts would be mandated more and more to bring people in but not exclusively to one or two regions, but rather generate a flow of tourists across all Lebanon and its economic sectors, thereby touching the lives of the widest segment of the population. In fact, the more tourists are incited to go around the country, the more the potential increases for them to spend money and make the ‘cash registers ring’ for all Lebanese,” he said at the conference.

To do this, he continued, the ministry will put in place a segmented marketing and communications strategy that would build the perception that “what Lebanon holds is immensely bigger than what you can imagine” and an approach that unveils the power of our business sectors, regions, and talents.

Abboud also vowed to work with international and local travel agencies to help increase organized tours throughout Lebanon. “These initiatives will make Lebanon a real 365-day touristic destination, while increasing the occupancy and sales potential across all Lebanese regions,” he said.

For her part, US Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Sison spoke of the partnership with AmCham Lebanon which promotes a better relationship between the US and Lebanon. “This partnership also helps in the development of the country,” she added.

She also spoke of USAID projects in the tourism sector and expressed her committment to collaborating with the Tourism Ministry for the benefit of Lebanon.

Sison also mentioned some of the most recent activities organized by the US Embassy such as the Taste of America exhibition.

On the other hand, AmCham Chairman Salim Zeenni explained that the tourism sector in Lebanon has regained its momentum in the country.

“This comes as no surprise since Lebanon has always been at the crossroads of Europe, Africa and the Middle East, and it is legendary for its resilience against destruction throughout the years,” he said.

“In no time, people from all over the world are flocking to visit this little piece of land. We can all be proud of that,” he added. – The Daily Star

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