by Dana Halawi
BEIRUT, July 1 (Xinhua) -- Fawzi and Nada Hakim, Lebanese expatriates residing in Toulouse, France, remain undeterred in their decision to visit Lebanon this summer despite ongoing tensions at the border between Hezbollah and Israel.
"We are not afraid to return to our homeland. Conflict may simmer in southern Lebanon, but there is much of our country left to explore," remarked Fawzi.
Nada echoed her husband's sentiments, emphasizing the importance of reconnecting with loved ones. "Skipping a summer without seeing our daughter, friends, and relatives in Lebanon is out of the question," she asserted.
Their resolve is shared by others, such as Hala Ezzeddine, currently vacationing with family from Saudi Arabia, who views security challenges as par for the course in Lebanon. "We were here during the 2006 Israel attacks, and we weathered those storms," Hala recounted.
Despite the border escalations between the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah and Israel since Oct. 8, 2023, approximately 400,000 people arrived in Lebanon in June this year, with an average of 80 to 90 airplanes touching down at Beirut airport daily, as per Fadi El-Hassan, director general of the Civil Aviation Authority.
El-Hassan pointed out that the majority of these arrivals are Lebanese expatriates, noting that the figures are "comparable" to the numbers from the same month last year, which hovered around 426,000.
He acknowledged a reluctance among international tourists to visit amidst heightened tensions but anticipated a surge in expatriate arrivals.
Similarly, Khaled Nazha, a business insider in Lebanon's hospitality sector, highlighted the resilience of local celebrations and weddings despite the geopolitical backdrop.
"People want to celebrate in their country with their family, friends, and relatives," he said, adding that people are drawn to weddings in Lebanon's beautiful mountains and natural areas such as Byblos and Sawfar.
Nazha stated that the restaurant sector is also performing well this summer, particularly in appealing areas such as Beirut, Batroun, and Byblos.
However, Pierre Ashkar, from the Syndicate of Hotel Owners, lamented diminished hotel occupancy in Lebanon this season.
"Occupancy in Lebanon's hotels has declined this summer compared to last year due to the low number of foreign tourists," said Ashkar, explaining that expatriates typically stay in their own houses with their families.
While the population of Lebanon is fewer than 5.5 million, it has a considerable diaspora, estimated to range from 4 million to 14 million. The vast number of overseas Lebanese or Lebanese descendants wields significant influence in the country's economy and other domains. ■
