According to the Ministry of Tourism, the number of tourist arrivals rose by a yearly 17.45% to 503,805 by April. This rise was partly due to the relatively stable security situation in Lebanon and the Easter holiday in April 2017.
In details, the number of visitors from Arab countries, representing 36% of the total, increased by a yearly 28.17% to 179,828. The number of Iraqi visitors rose by an annual 36.08% to 82,632, and the number of Egyptians increased by an annual 2.72% to 26,595 by April 2017, as incomers from these countries with political instability seek Lebanon for employment or refuge and not tourism.
However, given that the GCC governments lifted the ban about visiting Lebanon, the number of incomers from Saudi Arabia and Kuwait doubled to stand at 18,782 and 12,035 by April 2017. Nonetheless, Emirati tourists plunged by 31.91% to 732.
Moreover, European tourists, grasping a share of 31% in total, grew 13.83% y-o-y to 163,002 by April. French tourists saw their number rise by an annual 25.58% to 47,212, and visitors from Germany and Italy also rose in number by 26.41% and 17.15% to 23,582 and 10,604, respectively, by April 2017.
American tourists, also increased by an annual 10.63% to 69,950 by April 2017. This rise was mainly due to the growth in the number of visitors from the US and Canada which rose from 31,933 and 22,355 to 40,465 and 27,215 by April 2017, respectively.
Cumulative Number of Tourists by April
Source: Ministry of Tourism