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Lebanon, once more, is bearing the brunt of wars not of its making! Just when the late-season and All Saints’ Day holidays seemed full of promise for the tourism sector, the raging conflict between Hamas and Israel, compounded with concerns about Lebanon’s involvement, have shattered those hopes. The number of travel cancellations is increasing, and various countries are successively urging their citizens to refrain from traveling to Lebanon or to leave.
Countries are advising their nationals against traveling to Lebanon, with some going as far as strongly urging them to depart promptly. There are growing concerns about the conflict’s potential extension into Lebanon, which could force the closure of Beirut International Airport (BIA). The once-promising outlook for a thriving late-season and All Saints’ Day holiday is now in tatters.
Fadi el-Hassan, the Director-General of Lebanese Civil Aviation, told This is Beirut that despite the overall stability of seasonal air traffic, there has been a noticeable rise in departures, ranging from 10% to 15%. “It is mainly foreigners who are leaving,” he said. Hassan also reiterated to This is Beirut that “Beirut International Airport has proactively implemented an emergency plan to address the potential risk of an airport attack, with all necessary precautions taken by the relevant authorities.”
He asserted that no flights were either unable to land or canceled on Tuesday evening (Oct. 17). “The only exception is the Lufthansa Group, including Eurowings and Swiss, which has temporarily suspended its flights to Beirut until October 22,” he added.
Cancellations and Schedule Changes
The President of the Association of Travel Agency Owners, Jean Abboud, told This is Beirut that “unfortunately, a significant number of tourist groups and Lebanese expatriates cancelled their trips to Lebanon for October and the All Saints’ Day holidays.” He pointed out that “arrivals in Beirut declined by 26%, while departures dropped by approximately 15% in comparison with October 2022, that is as of October 10.”
Nonetheless, Abboud noted that changes in schedules are normal during the transition from high to low season. For instance, an airline company that operates five daily flights to a certain destination during high season would have two daily flights during the low season. Furthermore, schedule adjustments are a routine occurrence. “This year, these schedule changes occurred concurrently with the regional tensions,” he went on to say.
Lufthansa, Swiss and Eurowings, which have temporarily suspended their flights to Lebanon, are scheduled to resume their operations on October 23, he said, arguing that it is still too early to make a definitive judgment when it comes to potential cancellations during the New Year’s holiday.
In the meantime, Lebanon’s flag carrier, MEA, affirmed that it is operating normally without disruptions, with all scheduled flights proceeding as planned. MEA informed This is Beirut that, as a precautionary measure, they have decided to keep five aircraft of their 24-strong fleet, which are usually inactive during the low season, stationed in Turkey rather than parked in Beirut. Nonetheless, MEA acknowledges having a contingency plan in place in the event of an escalation.
Hotel Occupancy Rates Drop by 40%
Pierre Achkar, President of the Federation of Tourism Syndicates and the Syndicate of Hotel Owners, foresaw challenging weeks ahead for the hospitality sector. Hotel occupancy rates have fallen by around 40% despite initial expectations of a seamless transition from the summer high season to the late season. But with advisories from various countries urging their citizens to leave Lebanon and discouraging travel to the country, things have changed. Nonetheless, Achkar stressed that this issue is also affecting Egypt and Jordan.
Nour Farra Haddad, the owner of the guesthouse Dar Nour, echoed the same sentiments, expressing her dismay at a wave of cancellations. “Not only have the few foreign visitors canceled their trips but what’s more annoying is that even Lebanese residents are abandoning their weekend plans. No one seems to have the heart for tourism and trips when the specter of war is so close,” she pointed out.
According to the syndicate, fears that the conflict might spread to Lebanon is taking a toll on the restaurant sector, resulting in a noticeable decline in clientele at restaurants, pubs and nightclubs.
