Despite the 12% rise in tourism during the first quarter (Q1) of 2017, Rafic Hariri International Airport (RHIA) activity deteriorated by March 2017, as the total number of passengers plummeted by a yearly 6.61% to 1.52M. The fall in activity depicts a drop in the Lebanese travelling activity and can be partially attributed to the fact that the Easter vacation last year was in March, compared to April this year.
In details, the number of arrivals to Lebanon marginally fell by 0.62% year-on-year (Y-o-Y) from 761,702 by March 2016 to 757,141in the same period of 2017. Also, this period witnessed a 10.90% yearly fall in departures, which reached 762,241 by March 2017, compared to 855,481 by March 2016.
As for the number of transit passengers, it plunged substantially from 10,437 passengers in the first quarter of 2016 to 781 passengers in Q1 2017.
Total Number of Passengers by March
Source: Rafic Hariri International Airport