Update: LBC news reported the news to be false saying Metropolitan hotel will deny it officially during the day. Noting that I based my post on 3 sources, Mustaqbal, Lebanonfiles and MTV, I will update it as soon as it’s confirmed it’s wrong.
Update2: Metropolitan Hotel administration denied the news officially. That’s good news for a change.
Lebanon’s tourism season is the worst we’ve had since 1974 according to some reports as Hotels have cancelled around 50% of their bookings after the Achrafieh bombing and the recent events in Lebanon and Syria. Buddha bar shutdown its doors a week ago and Hilton Beirut Metropolitan Palace is closing down as well. I was told another big hotel will be closing down very soon as well.
The economic situation as a whole is no better and Lebanon’s Economic Committees are describing it as a disastrous one. Given those facts, I keep wondering why no measures are taken to help those hotels and businesses such as lowering the absurdly high rental prices in Beirut and even outside it. I only ask the Minister of Tourism to stop living in lalaland and realize how serious this problem is.
Buddha Bar Beirut
Check out what he had to say about the tourism season back in June:
Lebanon’s tourism minister said the crucial summer tourism season would not be badly damaged by growing domestic unrest and turmoil in neighbouring Syria, and forecast revenues this year of about $7 billion, similar to last year.
Fadi Abboud shrugged off concern that tourism could take a heavy hit and said he expected 1.8 million visitors this year, despite an almost complete absence of overland travelers. [Link]
I know it’s not his fault and the situation as a whole is messed up but he needs to take drastic measures to save whatever is left because there are hundreds of families at stake. If there’s a crisis, let’s accept that fact and handle it as such.
My aunt used to work there… what a shame.
You know what I really don’t get are the unchanged exorbitant rates at these hotels? A week ago I ran an expedia search on Beirut hotels, and many like Phoenicia, Movenpick, Four Seasons, and Hilton were in the $300+ range! We’re getting conflicting messages from the hospitality sector…
Lool,when there are news about businesses and hotels closing down,it’s true,you wrote in your previous post that restaurant Kaslik is shutting down,more to go,not happy about this,but stop living in fantasies,it’s all happening ,what happened in the 70s is going to repeat itself,and this time noone will be there to rebuild,this is the REALITY
Looooool ,omgggggg did I read that right ?Hahahahaahahahahahha 1.8 million?Looooool
“Given those facts, I keep wondering why no measures are taken to help those hotels and businesses such as lowering the absurdly high rental prices in Beirut and even outside it”
In an ‘ideal’ free economy world, the government shouldn’t regulate prices and should only interfere when there’s anti-competitive practices, ex: price fixation, monopoly..etc..
On the other hand, they can give business owners incentives (like tax deductions) to simulate the economy.
Again, that’s what should be practiced in an ‘IDEAL’ free economy country but sadly Lebanon is far from that.
Habtoor is already benefiting from some lenient taxes because it went through investments incentives program.
Najib, you’ll keep on getting and (hopefully not) posting false rumors when you don’t take from the right sources. You should be smarter than that as you should know well why such rumors are being spread. US dollar exchange rate crisis of 1992 may give you a hint.
Razor,
I no longer know what the right sources are in Lebanon to be honest specially when you have our most reliable media not checking their info. I am checking every piece of news at least from 2 sources before posting it.
What is happening in Lebanon is worse than settling some scores by spreading rumors. Media is on the loose and out of control.
Read on the left column of Lebanonfiles the article and you’ll understand how some ppl are planning to the worst by spreading more rumors. What is happening is nothing when compared to what will happen after spreading more rumors