Recently, a new tourist movement has spread in Lebanon, known as the “guesthouses” phenomenon, which has spread across the Lebanese map, and has been described as a “profitable project” in the time of distress associated with the economic crisis that began in late 2019.
The rates of reservations in tourism establishments for the summer of 2023, especially in “Lebanese guest houses”, are witnessing a remarkable increase, which reflects the prosperity of this new sector, whose age is equivalent to the age of the economic crisis in Lebanon.
And about the demand witnessed by this sector, Nader Musa, an activist in the Lebanese tourism sector, told Sky News Arabia: “It is not new, but what is remarkable is that this sector has flourished greatly in recent years, with the eagerness of the Lebanese who open their homes to this economic experience.” social, to provide an unparalleled experience for the visitor.
More than 150 guest houses
The head of the Department of Hotels and Accommodation Establishments at the Lebanese Ministry of Tourism, Sareen Ammar, told Sky News Arabia that:
- “This sector has flourished greatly, as there are more than 150 guest houses in Lebanon, distributed in various regions, especially in the countryside, where tourism has been active recently.”
- “This sector has become an official reference. A decision was taken to establish a syndicate for the owners of these houses. A meeting of the founders was held, on Monday, at the headquarters of the Ministry of Tourism, in which the date of affiliation and candidacy for the elections of the syndicate and its council was determined.”
- “The conditions for guest houses are easy, and they may consist of one room up to 10 rooms, and the owners provide official documents and information about the staff working in them.”
Lebanon.. the country of four seasons tourism
- “One of the conditions required for guest houses is to provide the guests with the Lebanese heritage atmosphere, and to spread the beloved Lebanese culture and social customs.”
- Tourist guesthouses are widespread in Lebanon, in the governorates of Mount Lebanon, Chouf and Jbeil Batroun in the north, and the city of Tyre in the south, reaching new Lebanese regions this year.
- “This tourism contributes to introducing women to the tourism sector, through the production of household supplies, and the preparation of traditional foods and selling them to guests.”
- “The sector has also contributed to securing new sources of income for remote mountainous areas.”
- “The presence of these houses helped in organizing heritage tourism festivals in the regions remarkably.”
A new economy that boosts individual income
In a related context, the head of the Association of Owners of Rented Buildings in Lebanon, Andira Al-Zuhairi, said, in an interview with “Sky News Arabia”, that “guest houses are a new concept imported from abroad, which flourished greatly after the economic crisis.”
Al-Zuhairi explained the following:
- “The houses are several rooms, or even one room or a house, which the owners turn into a heritage residence after adding decorative touches of the Lebanese rural heritage, which transfers the guests to a comfortable, elegant, rural atmosphere and home hospitality.”
- “This phenomenon grows in the rural, mountainous and remote areas of Lebanon, and thrives most in the vicinity of natural reserves and forests of cedar and oak in the highlands.”
- “Among staying in Lebanese guest houses is the traditional village breakfast, which makes it less expensive than staying in large hotels and cities.”
- “There are rooms specially built of mud and logs, imitating the old Lebanese houses that remained prevalent until the end of the last century in the countryside.”
- “The inmates got acquainted with the culture of the people of the towns, their traditions and their village heritage.”
- “These homes are considered one of the individual initiatives that bring good sums of money to the person.”
- “Houses turn into guest houses often on weekends, and the cost of renting them varies according to the services included in the rental cost.”
- “This phenomenon does not compete with hotels in cities and tourist places, and does not take from their assets.”
- “These houses are currently actively being used as vacation rooms for newlyweds, and they can secure a weekly stay or more within a traditional village program for the newlyweds.”
2023-05-15 23:11:55
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