Major eco tourism investment in Jbail covering Bentael Reserve and Annaya

Jbail mayor, Ziad Hawat, announced the imminent start of a USD10 million worth eco-touristic project that links in its first phase the historic city with the Bentael Nature Reserve and with Saint Charbel in Annaya in its second phase. Hawat revealed that while the first stage includes building a 6-km walking and biking trail stretching from the beach up to Bentael, the project in its second stage involves the construction of an eco-friendly aerial cableway from the city to the  Monastery. The cableway line is expected to pass through the river beds all the way to Saint Charbel in the mountainous town of Annaya. Outlining its economic feasibility of the project, Jbail mayor pointed out that the project has many positive aspects namely: capitalization on the panoramic sceneries and beautiful landscapes of the city and surroundings; setting up a station at the Bentael Reserve to promote rural and eco-tourism in the area; a lower rate of pollution as a result of lower toxic emissions by cars visiting St Charbel; and the promotion of religious tourism. The mayor stated that the area receives every year some five million visitors by car of who some one million visitors will be redirected towards using the aerial cableway so as to lower the present pollution level. (Al Diyar, February 6, 2016)