(BEIRUT, LEBANON) — Lebanese Tourism Minister Michel Pharaon announced a new campaign on Friday, which aims to encourage Lebanese expatriates to visit their home country.
Pharaon signed a deal with the United Nations World Tourism Organization to add Lebanon to a program that would raise awareness on the importance of Lebanon’s tourism sector.
“Lebanon is now part of this organization that includes 62 other states around the world,” said Secretary-General of the World Tourism Organization Taleb Rifai.
Pharaon said the campaign was supported by Prime Minister Tammam Salam and Speaker Nabih Berri, following a meeting at the Grand Serail with the UN agency.
The group held talks on creating an initiative to attract Lebanese immigrants to visit Lebanon, including the launch of tourism packages for Phoenician trade routes and eco-tourism bundles.
Rifai says the 14 million Lebanese expats should be “tourism ambassadors” for the country.
The announcement comes just days after several Arab airlines called on Beirut’s Rafic Hariri International Airport to increase the number of flights to Lebanon in response to increased passenger demand.
The Lebanese Civil Aviation Authority says this request for additional flights is a positive indicator for an active tourism season and added that the upcoming Easter holidays has already had more flight bookings than last year.
Pharaon said he expects more tourists this summer, adding that last summer’s statistics surpassed initial expectations.