The outdoors
Eco-tourism and rural offerings are catering to tourists of a variety of nationalities, who are looking to connect with nature. Outdoor activities are in demand and investors are responding. These projects are contributing to community development, and creating jobs and investment opportunities.
INCREASING NUMBERS
“Outdoor activities have been in more demand in the last few years, attracting local and international tourists,” said Martine Btaich, Executive Director at the Lebanon Mountain Trail Association (LMTA), which established the first national long-distance hiking trail. The LMT concept was implemented in collaboration with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), with the aim of promoting economic growth in rural areas. “Tourists are mainly attracted to the country’s diversity in landscape,” said Btaich. The LMT is 470 kilometers long, and goes through more than 76 villages and crosses five protected areas. “We can measure the evolution in this type of tourism, through the increasing number of clubs and institutions operating in this sector, they exceed 70,” said Btaich.
THRIVING DEMAND
The number of hikers has grown from just a few hundred individuals in 2007 to an estimated 30,000 hikers last year. Tours attracts tourists from Europe, North and South America, and Australia. Vamos Todos, an eco-tourism and hiking non-profit organization, has been organizing hiking tours for tourists, institutions, and private groups for more than ten years. According to , Founder of Vamos Todos, one, owner of 33 North, an eco-tourism tour operator, said that this business is promising. “We are providing training courses for local guides to meet the demand,” said Moukheiber. Travel agencies have started preparing packages for hiking tours. “We are spotting a noticeable demand for these types of tours,” said , Managing Director of Barakat Travel. The profit margin from organizing hiking tours is around ten percent, according to Aoun. “Non-profit organizations allocate these profits for developing side trails in new regions, and training new guides” said Aoun.
