{"id":1069,"date":"2021-04-30T13:56:00","date_gmt":"2021-04-30T13:56:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/al-rawiya.com\/?p=233"},"modified":"2023-07-07T07:07:04","modified_gmt":"2023-07-07T07:07:04","slug":"article-the-future-of-tourism-in-lebanon-and-our-responsibility-as-tourists-and-locals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/al-rawiya.com\/ar\/article-the-future-of-tourism-in-lebanon-and-our-responsibility-as-tourists-and-locals\/","title":{"rendered":"The Future of Tourism in Lebanon and Our Responsibility as Tourists and Locals"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Please note that Al Rawiya does not contain advertising. None of the people, products, companies, or services mentioned in this magazine are advertisements or paid features.<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\n\n\nTourism is one of the world\u2019s largest industries and has been a catalyst for international \u00a0 development for years. According to the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) and Oxford Economics, the sector employed a whopping 332 million people worldwide in 2019<\/a>. It\u2019s an industry that has shaped cities, built cultures, and helped bring the world together.<\/p>\n

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Moreover, the sector has been the backbone of Lebanon’s economy for years and has played a key role in the socio-economic development of Beirut specifically. As a matter of fact, the focus of the international market has been on Beirut as a tourist destination. In contrast, rural Lebanon, with the exception of a few day-trips, has been sorely neglected and underpromoted by locals and businesses alike, which has therefore affected its development and its opportunities for growth.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Nonetheless, a double-edged sword is a good metaphor for the travel and tourism industry, because for all the benefit it may provide, if left unmanaged and unregulated, it can do more harm than good. For example, the destruction of natural resources can change the identity and culture of a whole city, town, village, or destination. To further illustrate this, in an effort to tackle over-tourism in many areas, the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) even advised closing off some locations like Maya Bay on Phi Phi Le Island in Thailand<\/a> in order to protect the natural environment and local communities. Today, in a world without tourism, we have realized how vital this industry is and are rethinking our approach towards it. As we recover from the pandemic, it is crucial that we make sustainability the driving goal both locally and globally.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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What is sustainable tourism?\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

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First, we need to define what exactly sustainable tourism is. According to the UNWTO<\/a>, it is \u201ctourism that takes full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impacts addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment and host communities.\u201d<\/p>\n

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In other words, sustainable tourism is tourism that<\/a>:<\/p>\n