Lebanon - Tourism, travel, and recreation



Before the civil war, Lebanon's antiquities—notably at Sidon, Tyre, Byblos, and Ba'albek—combined with a pleasant climate and scenery to attract many tourists (more than 2 million in 1974), especially from other Arab countries. During the war, however, fighting and bombing destroyed or heavily damaged major hotels in Beirut and reduced the number of tourists to practically zero. The country has been rebuilding slowly. Most attractions are historical sites in Tyre and Tripoli. The temple complex in Baalbek, which includes the remains of the temples of Jupiter, Bacchus, and Venus, is one of the largest in the world.

Tourists who are not Arab nationals need visas to enter Lebanon. In 2000, Lebanon had 741,648 tourist arrivals, a 10% increase over the previous year. Hotel rooms numbered 14,500, with 25,450 bed-places and an occupancy rate of 28%. That year tourist receipts totaled $742 million.

In 2002, the US Department of State estimated the cost of staying in Beirut at $210 per day.

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