Five year national strategy for rural tourism to be released shortly

The Minister of Tourism, Michel Pharaon, declared that the national five year tourism strategy will be released shortly.  The strategy takes into consideration the internal and external context of tourism as well as the tourism of expatriate.  As such, the strategy will be comprehensive and will address the realities of tourism at all levels. Pharaon spoke during a field visit he had made to monitor a local community action involving the cleaning of solid waste carried out in the area of Nabeh el Safa and that is as part of a broader cleaning action implemented by Lebanon Mountain Trail Association in various villages within the framework of their awareness raising programme on the importance of water resources. During his visit, Pharaon insisted on the importance of ecotourism for the development of that region and especially in villages having natural water springs which provide the needed water supplies.  He insisted on the importance of water springs in supporting ecotourism and the importance of rationalizing their use.
Within a related vein, l’Orient le Jour published a report last Friday focusing on academic t study in tourism as a specialty offered by Saint Joseph University.  The newspaper interviewed the responsible of tourism sub-department at the university, Rita Zaarour, who indicated that studies in tourism will allow graduates to be able to seek jobs in tourism agencies, expanding tourism products, facilitating touristic activities, working in hotels and municipalities as well as tourism consultant in related ministries.  To be noted that this specialty is part of the geography department at the faculty of literature and humanities at the university and also allows students to pursue master’s and doctoral studies in this field.

Source: Al-Mustaqbal, L’Orient Le Jour 14 July 2014