Thousands of Syrian refugees have flocked into hotels in Lebanon giving some respite to an industry that declined almost 10 per cent last month.
Some hoteliers in Beirut are offering special rates to those fleeing the fighting as reverberations from the conflict in Syria continue to be felt across the region.
Mousa Abo Rashed, who works at the La Maison de Hamra hotel apartments in central Beirut, said two families from Damascus had booked long stays there.
"We have special prices for Syrian people. It's starting from US$1,500 [Dh5,509] per month, and usually it's $2,200," said Mr Abo Rashed.
He said the hotel was "about 70 per cent" full, although he added that was usually higher during the peak summer season. At least 30,000 Syrians are estimated to have crossed the border into Lebanon, many fleeing the heavy fighting in Damascus.
In Bhamdoun,a Lebanese summer resort on the road to Damascus to the east of Beirut, hoteliers also reported an influx of visitors from Syria.
Hani Abdel Malek, who works at the Al Safat hotel in Bhamdoun, reported a surge in visitors after July 19.
The hotel's 82 suites stood empty earlier in the month but filled within days as thousands of Syrians fled the violence in their homeland, AFP reported.
But the Syrian refugees are now gradually departing, Mr Abdel Malek said.
"They are leaving on a daily basis, they are going back."
A receptionist at the Four Points by Sheraton hotel in Bhamdoun also said there had been an influx of Syrian guests last week, although he added only about half the rooms were occupied.
Refugees from Syria have helped to offset a decline in tourism to Lebanon after a series of travel warnings by Arab governments telling their citizens not to travel to the country because of security concerns.
According to STR Global, Lebanon's hotel occupancy declined 9.8 per cent last month, while revenue per available room fell by 12.8 per cent compared with the same period last year.
Tourism in several Middle East countries has been hit by the unrest in the region, commentators say. "There has been a downward trend in the past few years," said Gaurav Sinha, who runs Insignia, a travel branding agency in Dubai.
He said there had been an "impact" from the government warnings against travelling to Lebanon. However, he said this may not be a long-term scenario.
"Lebanon is a nostalgic favourite of many Arabs. It's known to be the Riviera of the Arabian world. And it's always been able to bounce back," he said.
Syria's economy is forecast to contract by 8.1 per cent this year, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU).
Unrest in the country has also hit its neighbours, said Trevor McFarlane, a senior editor at the EIU.
"Business confidence is obviously impacted inside the country but also the neighbouring countries - Jordan, Iraq, Turkey and Lebanon," he said.
Aside from the effect on tourism to countries such as Lebanon, Mr McFarlane said the situation in Syria, given the sanctions and impact on transport links, was also likely to hit trade in countries such as Turkey and Jordan.
"I would imagine that trade between Jordan and Syria would be down by 60 per cent. It would have a massive impact," said Mr McFarlane.
bflanagan@thenational.ae
2018 ICC World Twenty20 Asian Western Regional Qualifier
Saturday results
Qatar beat Kuwait by 26 runs
Bahrain beat Maldives by six wickets
UAE beat Saudi Arabia by seven wickets
Monday fixtures
Maldives v Qatar
Saudi Arabia v Kuwait
Bahrain v UAE
* The top three teams progress to the Asia Qualifier
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
THE SPECS
Engine: 4.4-litre V8
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 523hp
Torque: 750Nm
Price: Dh469,000
ENGLAND TEAM
Alastair Cook, Mark Stoneman, James Vince, Joe Root (captain), Dawid Malan, Jonny Bairstow, Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, Craig Overton, Stuart Broad, James Anderson
Europe’s rearming plan
- Suspend strict budget rules to allow member countries to step up defence spending
- Create new "instrument" providing €150 billion of loans to member countries for defence investment
- Use the existing EU budget to direct more funds towards defence-related investment
- Engage the bloc's European Investment Bank to drop limits on lending to defence firms
- Create a savings and investments union to help companies access capital
Company profile
Company name: Dharma
Date started: 2018
Founders: Charaf El Mansouri, Nisma Benani, Leah Howe
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: TravelTech
Funding stage: Pre-series A
Investors: Convivialite Ventures, BY Partners, Shorooq Partners, L& Ventures, Flat6Labs
UAE squad v Australia
Rohan Mustafa (C), Ashfaq Ahmed, Chirag Suri, Rameez Shahzad, Fahad Nawaz, Amjed Gul, Shaiman Anwar, Ahmed Raza, Imran Haider, Muhammad Naveed, Amir Hayat, Ghulam Shabir (WK), Qadeer Ahmed, Tahir Latif, Zahoor Khan
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
VEZEETA PROFILE
Date started: 2012
Founder: Amir Barsoum
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: HealthTech / MedTech
Size: 300 employees
Funding: $22.6 million (as of September 2018)
Investors: Technology Development Fund, Silicon Badia, Beco Capital, Vostok New Ventures, Endeavour Catalyst, Crescent Enterprises’ CE-Ventures, Saudi Technology Ventures and IFC
Expo details
Expo 2020 Dubai will be the first World Expo to be held in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia
The world fair will run for six months from October 20, 2020 to April 10, 2021.
It is expected to attract 25 million visits
Some 70 per cent visitors are projected to come from outside the UAE, the largest proportion of international visitors in the 167-year history of World Expos.
More than 30,000 volunteers are required for Expo 2020
The site covers a total of 4.38 sqkm, including a 2 sqkm gated area
It is located adjacent to Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai South
A State of Passion
Directors: Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi
Stars: Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah
Rating: 4/5
MATCH INFO
What: Brazil v South Korea
When: Tonight, 5.30pm
Where: Mohamed bin Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Tickets: www.ticketmaster.ae
Company profile
Date started: Founded in May 2017 and operational since April 2018
Founders: co-founder and chief executive, Doaa Aref; Dr Rasha Rady, co-founder and chief operating officer.
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: Health-tech
Size: 22 employees
Funding: Seed funding
Investors: Flat6labs, 500 Falcons, three angel investors
SCHEDULE
Saturday, April 20: 11am to 7pm - Abu Dhabi World Jiu-Jitsu Festival and Para jiu-jitsu.
Sunday, April 21: 11am to 6pm - Abu Dhabi World Youth (female) Jiu-Jitsu Championship.
Monday, April 22: 11am to 6pm - Abu Dhabi World Youth (male) Jiu-Jitsu Championship.
Tuesday, April 23: 11am-6pm Abu Dhabi World Masters Jiu-Jitsu Championship.
Wednesday, April 24: 11am-6pm Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship.
Thursday, April 25: 11am-5pm Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship.
Friday, April 26: 3pm to 6pm Finals of the Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship.
Saturday, April 27: 4pm and 8pm awards ceremony.
MATCH INFO
Wales 1 (Bale 45 3')
Croatia 1 (Vlasic 09')