The Lebanese Organization for Studies and Training (LOST) organized a conference on “Tourism and Job Opportunities” in Tamouz Hall, as part of the “Networks of Peace” project funded by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Lebanon. The conference was attended by UN coordinator in Lebanon, Mr. Philippe Lazzarini, the governor of Baalbek-Hermel, Mr. Bachir Khodr, the Archbishop Hanna Rahma, Director General of the General Security, Major General Abbas Ibrahim represented by Colonel Hussein Al-Qursifi, Commander of the Baalbek Judical Division Colonel Fadi El-Hellani, President of Baalbek International Festival Nayla De Freij, and Municipal and CSO representatives. This conference aimed at networking between society’s components, and creating a social platform of communication and change.
The founder of LOST, Dr Rami Lakkis, welcomed the audience and said, “this event is part of a series of dialogues on topics considered priorities by citizens, and what is important in our meeting is to promote a culture of dialogue”. He added that, “the responsibilities are shared amongst the different actors, starting with the government in terms of infrastructure and the development of a plan and a vision for tourism, headed by the Ministry of Tourism, and then the community such as municipalities and civil society organizations and even citizens.”
He added, “the security level also plays a role in the tourism sector. Today, Baalbek still suffers from being a no-go zone for many foreign tourists. Therefore, we must exert pressure on embassies and international bodies to reconsider Baalbek as a safe area”. Dr. Lakkis ended by stating, “at the level of our organization, we will initiate an initiative in 2019 which is the model village that will have a touristic role. It is 8 minutes away from the Baalback temples. Its main objective is to provide a model picture of the developed countryside, while preserving its authenticity and heritage. It will include a sewage treatment plant, solar energy, agricultural land, and a field to teach boys the basics of driving”.
The governor’s speech was focused on the theme of tourism and its importance that suffers with the agricultural sector from many problems, even though the region enjoys all the elements of tourism: historical, heritage, religious, sports, rural, and eco-tourism. Mr. Khodr stated, “development is not based on prohibitions and violations, but on the development of productive sectors such as tourism”. In addition, he insisted on the importance of security and its role in enhancing tourism. “There is no tourism and no growth without security. We have witnessed an improvement in the last period and will continue. The big responsibility remains on the Baalbaki citizen to work and participate in order to promote the culture of tourism and find the means that will benefit the economy and this sector”.
Mr. Lazzarini expressed his happiness because of his presence in Baalbeck again, and said, “there is no doubt that Lebanon and Baalbeck have a lot of touristic elements, which provide a large part of the national income, but with time, this sector was affected by the Syrian crisis and fell to about one-third according to the World Bank, yet Lebanon and Beirut are still the first Arab cities to attract tourism, and we hope that the tourism sector will be promoted more and more sustainably”.
In order for tourism to flourish, Mr. Lazzarini said, “we emphasize the importance of implementing the laws in the Beqaa, and we confirm that there are no restrictions on UN officials preventing tourists from visiting Baalbeck”.
De Freige spoke about the Baalbeck festivals, its objectives, its time, and its cultural, touristic, and economic benefits. One of the main festival’s objectives is the cultural and touristic marketing of the city in the world, and the revival of the Beqaa region in general, and Baalbek in particular. She added, “the strength of the festivals stems first from the unique archaeological site and its long history, from its national and universal identity. These festivals also have cultural benefits, such as encouraging Lebanese art through the production of huge concerts, introducing the masses to different cultures, participating in global activities and bringing us closer to a global cultural institution. In addition, its archives are part of the memory of Lebanon and the subject of academic studies in universities.
The Mayor of Baalbeck, Brigadier General Hussein Lakkis, said, “tourism today is of special interest to most people and its importance is compounded by its economic, social, and environmental role. Tourism is the petrol of the 21st century, resulting in an influx of hard currency and large incomes for citizens and their positive impact on local development”.
He continued, “the development of tourism is the upgrading and expansion of tourism services and needs, based on scientific planning aimed at achieving the highest possible rate of tourism growth, and to face competition in the tourist market. The main focus of this process of development is on the person who is the main instrument, and also requires coordination of the different development policies of the state because of the close association between them such as transport, communications, and services in general.”
Tourism remains as a vital sector for the development and economic prosperity for Lebanon and Baalback-Hermel. However, this sector cannot be neglected, and instead calls for immediate actions to rescue it from underneath the dust and into the light.
