Tyre shopping and tourism festival to boost the local economy

The launch ceremony of the Tyre shopping and tourism festival kicked off last Saturday under the auspices of the Minister of Agriculture, Ghazi Zuaiter.  The event was organised at the Tyre Rest House by the Tyre Merchants Association and the Leader Company in collaboration with the local municipality and was attended by several key personalities.  The Minister noted in his speech the importance of local development in coastal and mountain areas as well as the need to develop the main cities of Tyre, Nabatieh, Saida and their neighbouring villages and towns.  This, he said, requires coordination amongst municipalities as well as professional syndicates so that a development road map with its attended priorities are agreed stating that this requires the engagement of immigrants as well as residents in order to create local investments which would generate employment opportunities.  Zuaiter further reiterated the need to continue giving due consideration to the South as is the case for other regions in Lebanon according to available resources and identified priorities.  The President of the Leader company, Mohammad Shehadeh, spoke for his part about the activities which will be held during the shopping and tourism festival and the discounts which will be offered by merchants in addition to thousands of prizes which will be given to the public.  In addition, mobile entertainment events will be held almost daily throughout the streets of Tyre.  The head of the Tyre Municipal Council, Hassan Dbuk, added that the Municipality stands besides the merchants and the consumers.  He also praised this initiative hoping that this will invigorate the local economy. (Al- Diyar, 15 January 2017