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3. Summer 2025: Lebanon Reclaims Its Suitcases… and Its Traffic Jams

Despite regional tensions, summer 2025 in Lebanon offered a surprising display of resilience. Beirut airport handled over 100 flights daily and up to 20,000 daily passengers, most of them returning Lebanese expats. Hotels beamed with life, restaurants saw bustling tables and traffic jams returned as part of the package.

Every summer in Lebanon carries a hint of uncertainty: a sunny getaway shadowed by geopolitical clouds. In 2025, the gamble partly paid off. While not quite reaching the golden era of 2018–2019, the season brought hope to a sector long on edge.

Between July and August, Beirut welcomed more than 100 daily flights, with passenger numbers ranging from 17,000 and 20,000 passengers, according to BIA. Expatriates made up the overwhelming majority, reconnecting with their homeland and their favorite summer spots.

Hotel occupancy in Beirut ranged between 80% and 90%, while other regions exceeded 60%, Pierre Achkar, head of the Federation of Tourism Syndicates, told This is Beirut. Ramzi Salman, president of the guesthouse syndicate, described the season as “a very pleasant surprise,” with “solid numbers”, except for sensitive areas.

The restaurant and nightlife scene saw more mixed results. “The season’s start was disrupted by bombings and regional tensions,” Khaled Nazha, vice president of the restaurant syndicate, explained. “Attendance improved, but still fell short of 2018–2019 levels.”

Looking Back: Summer 2024

To appreciate the cautious optimism of 2025, one must remember the bleak summer of 2024. Tourist arrivals fell by 32%, dropping from 1.67 million in 2023 to just 1.13 million in 2024, a sharp blow that left the sector exhausted and wary.

Industry professionals agree: the recovery is real, yet fragile. To sustain momentum, they’re calling for political and security stability, better roads, a low-cost terminal and modernized infrastructure to put Lebanon back on the global tourism map, ideally with fewer traffic jams and more peace of mind.

Lebanon remains a land of contrasts: irresistible for its landscapes, culture and cuisine, yet held back by instability. Summer 2025 offered a breath of fresh air after a disastrous 2024, but the real challenge lies ahead: building a sustainable future for Lebanese tourism, not just celebrating a temporary rebound.