In 2020 and 2021, Elissa (who wished to remain anonymous) had to give up going to Lebanon, because of Covid-19. But this summer, this Lebanese living in Chicago returned to the traditional annual vacation, undeterred by the economic and financial collapse of her native country. “It hurts to see the ambient deterioration. Despite all the turbulence, I remain very attached to Lebanon. To come, to spend money, is to give support. And I want my daughter to maintain the link with her origins”she says near the girl, in the old souks of Jbeil (Byblos), a coastal city located north of Beirut.
Elissa, who alternates between family reunions during the week and weekend excursions, is one of the expatriates. Those who, by sending foreign currency during the year, allow their relatives who have stayed behind to withstand the shock of the serious crisis underway since 2019. When summer comes, the authorities classify these Lebanese in the diaspora as tourists international.
Enough to make the attendance figures sparkle: more than a million visitors expected this season, according to outgoing Minister of Tourism Walid Nassar. Including 75% of Lebanese from abroad. In June, he estimated that the influx should result in the injection of more than 3 billion dollars (3 billion euros) into the economy. Greenbacks that the country badly needs. Until 2019, tourism was a mainstay of the country: that year, it generated $8.6 billion in revenue.
In Jbeil, famous for its citadel, its archaeological site and its fishing port, Lebanese expatriates form the majority of strollers from abroad. They wander in the alleys shaded by laurels, sit down in the fish restaurants, come back from the surrounding private beaches or party in the evening in the bars of the souks. Egyptians and Iraqis are also among the visitors to the ancient city.
“Three years of suffering”
Elie Bseibes saw the season start ” tardily “in his Lebanese cuisine restaurant, during the Muslim holiday of Eid el-Adha, on July 9. “We were full”, he said. But he remains cautious for the future, despite the promising announcements from the authorities. At the end of the morning, only two tables are occupied by families having brunch. “There is more competition: new addresses have opened, while[en 2021], no one dared to invest, for fear of confinement, describes the thirties. In addition, we have generator costs [utilisés pour pallier l’absence d’électricité publique] completely crazy. »
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