Keys to Recovery: Revitalizing Lebanon’s Tourism Sector

With USAID support, RDCL organized a round table entitled “Keys to Recovery: Revitalizing Lebanon’s Tourism Sector” Beirut, October 01, 2022: With the support of the Trade and Investment Facilitation (TIF) project, funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), RDCL organized a round table and discussion entitled “Keys to Recovery: Revitalizing Lebanon’s Tourism Sector”, on September 30, 2022 at ESA Business School (Clemenceau, Beirut). This event is the second of many to be organized jointly with USAID through TIF, with the aim of improving the business and investment enabling environment of the Lebanese private sector in various fields, to address the important issues and challenges that the Lebanese private sector currently faces, and to economically reposition Lebanon. Mr. Nicolas Boukather, President of RDCL, started the event by making the opening remarks, where he introduced the audience to the ASPIRE project and its objectives, stressing on the cooperation with the economic organizations. From his end, Mr. Joe Boulos, Head of the RDCL Tourism GPA (Group for Proposition and Action) explained the vision of the group, as well as its mission, objectives, and the plans that it will follow on the short and the long terms, following collaboration with tourism syndicates and influencers. After the presentations, Dr. Sami Nader, RDCL lead technical expert and the BIEE Technical Lead under the partnership with TIF, moderated the discussion that followed. The round table was marked by the presence of numerous RDCL members and key actors from the Lebanese private sector, specifically from the Tourism sector. In addition to representatives from USAID and TIF, attendees also included Mr. Tony Ramy, President of the Syndicate of Owners of Restaurants, Cafes, Night-Clubs and Pastries in Lebanon, Mrs. Micheline Touma, President of the Union Vinicole du Liban, Mr. Jean Beiruti, Secretary General of the Federation of Tourism Syndicates, and Mr. Ghassan Moukheiber, lawyer and former MP, in addition to a group of archaeologists, touristic guides and representatives of many touristic sectors. The attendees were unanimous in maintaining communication and working hand in hand, in order for tourism to quickly boost the national economy and stimulate investments in this field.