We have around 40% less tourists than last year yet the traffic is still the same and even getting worse. What’s even more interesting is that we lost 65% of our tourists coming by land according to Minister of Tourism Fadi Abboud [Link].
I don’t know how this is happening or it’s just me, but I am facing traffic almost anytime anyday and everywhere I go. Even in the morning there’s still traffic even though there are no schools or universities at the moment.
Were the tourists ever really responsible for the traffic? I have my doubts
the traffic could very well be cause by resident Lebanese themselves as they have been increasingly buying new (or used) vehicles due to the strong loan facilities that banks are presenting to the public.
Zaydoun,
Arab tourists used to come with their cars or rent cars and caused more traffic than the usual.
Najib,
1- Many of those Arab-registered cars actually belong to Lebanese expats who are on holiday
2- How many of those did you see this year? (I noticed your past tense)
Joe,
I remember seeing Kuwait, KSA and other plate numbers everywhere two summers ago and even last year, but this year am barely seeing any.
it seems that nobody wants to drive through Syria :s
i saw a bunch of arab plates the other in downtown
well frankly speaking I’m not facng any traffic jams in beirut city… i had the worst experience with traffic jams in winter… but this summer everything seems smooth except for the infrastruction projects they started in bchare el khoury and tayouneh area…