The tourism sector in Lebanon is witnessing one of its most fragile seasons in years, as indicators appear bleak, a few weeks away from the start of the summer season, with low occupancy rates recorded in hotels, and a clear decline in the movement of arrivals, amid growing fears of the collapse of the season completely, according to security developments..
Al-Adha does not revive tourism
At a time when tourism institutions were relying on Eid al-Adha to compensate for part of the losses they suffered during Eid al-Fitr and Easter, Arab and foreign visitors are absent, and a large number of expatriates are wary of coming to spend Eid with their families, due to security concerns and the possibility of renewed military escalation at any moment. On the other hand, the current tourist movement is limited to limited internal movements, towards areas considered safer, in light of a climate of anxiety and anticipation, which was directly reflected in the movement of reservations, and returned the sector to the cycle of contraction..
In this context, the head of the Federation of Tourist Syndicates and the head of the Hotel Owners Syndicate in Lebanon, Pierre Achcar, reveals that the occupancy rate in Beirut hotels does not exceed 7 to 8 percent, while it decreases further in other regions, ruling out any improvement in reservations in the period between Eid al-Adha. “If we expect any improvement, it may be at a rate of 5 or 6 percent or less. This is not Lebanon, and this is not Lebanese tourism.”“.
Tourism losses are straining the economy
The impact of the crisis is not limited to the tourism sector only, but extends to the Lebanese economy as a whole, given the close connection between tourism and general economic activity. In this context, the economist and energy sector expert, Edmond Chammas, pointed out in an interview with “Lebanon 24” the role of the tourism sector in moving the economic wheel and introducing hard currency, stressing that it “constitutes the backbone of the economy, and contributes directly and indirectly at a rate ranging between 20 and 30 percent of the gross domestic product, with this percentage varying depending on the security and political conditions.”».
Chammas explained that the tourism sector witnessed a sharp decline during the first support war in 2024, which had a negative impact on the Lebanese economy in general, pointing out that the number of tourists decreased by about 32% compared to 2023. However, the year 2025 recorded, as he described it, “a relative revival of the economy and the tourism sector after the ceasefire agreement, as the number of arrivals increased by 45% compared to 2024, driven by the return of Gulf tourists.” And the Europeans, security tensions decreased, and air traffic improved.” But this improvement was not enough to return the sector to the level it was at before the financial crisis and economic collapse. “Before 2019, tourism contributed about 20% of the domestic product, with annual revenues approaching 10 billion dollars.”“.
Millions in losses and the 2026 season is at stake
As for the year 2026, Shammas pointed out that expectations indicated a better season than 2025, but the outbreak of war since the beginning of March, whether in the Gulf or on the Lebanese scene, has completely changed the scene. The ongoing attacks and security tensions led to a decline in reservations and the cessation of air traffic to and from a number of destinations, which directly affected the tourism sector and plunged it into a new state of contraction. He pointed out that the rise in transportation and fuel prices, in addition to the escalation of tension in the southern suburbs and southern Lebanon, contributed to the deepening of the crisis, estimating the monthly losses of the tourism sector at between 500 and 600 million dollars, “and this number is very large compared to the Lebanese economic reality.”“.
The contraction of tourism reduces the flow of dollars
Tourism sector revenues are one of the most important sources of introducing hard currency into the Lebanese economy, as dollar flows resulting from tourism and expatriate spending constitute an essential lever for cash reserves. In this context, Shammas pointed out that the decline in the number of tourists was reflected in a decline in the flow of foreign currencies, especially the dollar, which exacerbated the economic recession, “especially since the tourism sector drives basic sectors such as hotels, restaurants, transportation, and services.” Shammas warned of the negative repercussions of the continuation of the war and regional tensions, especially in the Gulf, in addition to the risks associated with the Strait of Hormuz, the Red Sea, and Bab al-Mandab, whether through the rise in prices of oil derivatives and the cost of transportation, or through the decline in export opportunities in the industrial and agricultural sectors. He expected that the current crisis would exacerbate economic and social pressures “in light of the inability of a large segment of the Lebanese, especially in the south, the suburbs, and the Bekaa, to pay fees and taxes, which will reflect on state revenues and deepen the financial crisis, at a time when Lebanon has not yet been able to recover from the repercussions of the financial and economic collapse, which began in 2019.”“
Thus, the Lebanese people’s hopes for a summer season that will restore some vitality to the country seem to depend on security developments, which are still open to all possibilities, which undermines the chances of saving the tourist season, which is an essential lifeline for hard currency, and an engine for the economic sectors associated with it..
