PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS WORKING HAND IN HAND
At a roundtable facilitated by Hospitality News ME, the Minister of Tourism, Avedis Guidanian, and leading five-star hotel general managers in Beirut, discussed the challenges and opportunities in the sector and how to build on the notion of common ground
“We live in a country that suffers from a security problem, but we can now state that we are officially emerging from this problem,” Guidanian said. The Ministry of Tourism (MOT) has officially started promoting Lebanon as a safe destination, calling media to highlight the positive vibes in the country and not to exaggerate the small incidents that might occur. “Our social media campaigns target eight countries, including Armenia, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, KSA, Qatar, UAE and Iraq to promote our packages with MEA tickets and hotel occupancy,” the minister said. On another issue, Guidanian mentioned that the Ministry of Public Works plans to work on improving infrastructure and road networks, with a focus on routes leading to the airport.
New tourism packages
Packages start at USD 333 for a 3D/4N trip, which includes ticket, transport, bed and breakfast in a three-star property. The offer is valid from January 6 until May 31. The MOT is working on a similar project to attract the Lebanese diaspora living in South America, especially those in Brazil, with packages approximately USD 600 - USD 650. “So far, we do not have direct flights, but our aim is to attract these travelers to visit their country for at least once,” the minister said.
Seeking GCC tourism and beyond
The Mot’s new strategy focuses not only on winning back GCC travelers, but also tapping new markets and finding routes that will appeal to visitors from various Western countries. The MOT reached an agreement with the General Security to grant visas to Russian, Indian and Egyptian groups visiting via any tour operator or a hotel within 24 hours.
MICE power
Simultaneously, the MOT is working to expand the country’s MICE power and appeal. Guidanian revealed General Electric is considering holding its annual meeting in Lebanon, while the exhibition of Free Zones is also eyeing Beirut as a destination for its annual assembly, which takes place in November.
GM concerns and topics of interest
As the perception of Lebanon abroad, specifically in Europe, is negative in terms of safety and security, there is a focus on neighboring countries when it comes to client segments, participants said. This meant that if the nearby markets collapsed for any reason, Lebanon would also face challenging times. Therefore, leaders of the private sector’s major five-star establishments are investing time and effort in positively influencing the local market as much as they can. The general managers agreed on the importance of establishing a proper union between them to fight their cause and move in the right direction, in order to protect the sector during difficult
times. They pointed out that it has long been known that Lebanon has relied heavily on GCC tourism, even though there was a multitude of new markets that could be explored. South America was one option, notably Brazil, hoteliers said, where millions of Lebanese diaspora were based. Smart and practical strategies must be established to attract this diaspora, they agreed, starting with the promotion of Lebanon as a destination and a move to improve the country’s image, especially when participating in foreign expos and
Our country has great potential with wonderful services. We have a lot to offer Avedis Guidanian
forums. Hoteliers said the media must play a key role by relaying a brighter image of the country. When it came to pricing, Lebanon should not be seen as a cheap destination, they warned. They pointed out that while some hotels dropped their prices in 2016, the GCC tourists still stayed away. Participants said it was important to have various levels of pricing in the market to cater to various segments. They also highlighted the issue of airline tickets, saying it was the biggest factor around pricing and pointing out that when people travel to a destination, hotel costs are only one part of the expense. Pricing had to include transportation, airport taxes, airline tickets and hotel fees. They called for a meeting to be set up with the national carrier, MEA, to discuss price concerns in order to generate broader success. The hoteliers also highlighted the benefits of a ‘no visa’ strategy, saying it would help to attract the highest number of visitors possible.