Rural tourism contributes to local economic growth and employment

The caretaker minister of tourism, Michel Pharaon, inaugurated yesterday the Third National Forum on Rural Tourism in Lebanon targeting a ‘developed rural tourism strategy’. The event, held at Dbayeh Royal Hotel, east of the capital, was jointly organized by Beyond Beirut non-government organization and the Lebanon Industry Value Chain Development (LIVCD) project funded by USAID. Present, were USAID mission in Lebanon director, Ann Paterson, and over 100 experts and owners of enterprises in the rural tourism sector. On the occasion, Paterson pressed the need to “boost rural tourism as an essential key to rural economic development, which helps in the creation of jobs for rural inhabitants and in the building of women and youth capacities.” For his part, Pharaon outlined a number of touristic undertakings accomplished during 2015 and 2016. The summer of 2015, Pharaon noted, saw more than 120 rural activities and 70 festivals, followed by over 250 rural events and 132 musical concerts in 2016. Pharaon stressed that the rural tourism initiative also helps in preserving natural, cultural, religious and agricultural resources, food and historical heritage of rural areas, as well as in the boosting the activities of guesthouses. (Al Diyar, December 7, 2016)