Lebanon launches initiative to encourage Chinese tourists
Lebanon's Fransabank has launched a strategy to encourage Chinese tourists to visit the country at a conference, attended by Chinese Ambassador to Lebanon, Jiang Jiang, along with other delegates from China and Lebanon.  "Lebanon's uniqueness lies in the country's historical and archaeological sites, along with its cultural landmarks of ancient civilisations", said Fransabank's Group President, Adnan Kassar.  He added, "we wanted to build on our unique, personal ties and relations with China to serve Lebanon, support its tourism industry, and attract the most important tourists in the world, the Chinese".  

Fransabank launched an initiative Monday to encourage Chinese tourists to visit Lebanon.

This initiative was announced during a conference attended by Tourism Minister Michel Pharaon, Fransabank Group President Adnan Kassar and Chinese Ambassador to Lebanon Jiang Jiang, along with the delegation coming from China to visit Lebanon representing leading Chinese travel agencies, in addition to press and media representatives.

The conference aimed at highlighting the project planned and executed by Fransabank Group to host these Chinese travel agencies in a tour all over Lebanon from 11 to 18 Oct. 2015, otrganized by Sun Holiday Tours – a prominent Lebanese travel agency.

In his speech, Kassar stressed that Lebanon’s uniqueness lies in the country’s historical and archaeological sites along with its cultural landmarks of ancient civilizations, coupled with hospitable people, enabling it to be one of the most important travel destinations for tourists in general and Chinese in particular.

“We wanted to build on our unique personal ties and relations with China to serve Lebanon, support its tourism industry, and attract the most important tourists in the world, the Chinese,” Kassar said.

Pharaon welcomed the audience, stressing the importance of the tourism sector in Lebanon and shedding light on a series of projects initiated by the ministry such as the “Live Love Lebanon” campaign and other tourism projects, including rural tourism, religious tourism and “the Phoenicians Road,” all of which serve to sustain tourism.

“We have found it necessary to revitalize tourism relations with China especially that the two countries are connected by bonds of friendship, and the fact that Chinese tourism represents 10 percent of tourism in the world,” he stressed.