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Over 10,052 square kilometers stretches the Middle East region’s most intriguing, half-Arab, half-French concoction-- Lebanon.
With over four million people and 17 different religions, the country offers not only a mix of interesting weather--the four seasons concurrent, but a blend of the new and the old. Thanks to its ancient Phoenician and modern history, the Levant has been a contested territory in the rise and fall of empires for thousand years. Today, it is all but ruins.
It has an economy based on commerce and services, transit and tourism and some agriculture, with per capita income at $800 a year. However, the Levantine climate and lifestyle is the country’s best showcase. A diverse patchwork of the Mediterranean-lapped coast, rugged alpine peaks and green, fertile valleys makes Lebanon unique. Aside from landscape, the country is steeped in history. Ancient Lebanon features in the writings of Homer and the Old Testament. Its cities were major outposts and seaports in Phoenician and Roman times. The fortresses and ruin cities of Aanjar, Baalbeck, Byblos, Tyre and the Qadisha Valley or Cedar Forest are all listed on the UNESCO World Heritage sites.
Here lies one urban settlement for over 5,000 years since pre-Phoenician Canaanite period third millennium B.C. At the crossroads of cultures and religions, bridging east and west, linking ancient trade routes from the hinterland across the Mediterranean is Beirut. Old Beirut was inhabited in Byblos for almost 9000 years. The so-called Paris of the Middle East became the base of Phoenician life. Its ships traveled around the Mediterranean Sea, opening to trade down from the West Africa coast to south Med.
Those who lived along the coast were the richest first traders in all history of the region. Today, the recurring theme around the Mediterranean is expressed in the city’s lively cultural and intellectual life and in its wonderfully eclectic architectural tradition. Culture and tradition have always fused local and Arab vernaculars with new influences from abroad, historically from Italy and France.
Lebanon even became the banking capital of the Middle East until a bloody strife erupted. From 1975-1990, 15 years of war tore a nation so poised and proud of its heritage and roots.
Modern Beirut today, reconstructing since 1991 after the damaging civil war that lost the city its pre-eminent role in the Middle East, is reviving and repositioning itself again. It makes this process a recurring theme throughout its history. Being a port city, a city of traders and entrepreneurs with an interesting Diaspora – albeit 600,000 fled Lebanon in the war for countries like Canada and US with 30 percent of immigrants, Arab countries 20 percent, Europe 15 percent and Australia 13 percent - Lebanon has remained open to fresh ideas from across the seas.
Downtown Beirut rebuilt from its Dresden-type ruins received a serious facelift through Solidere, the centerpiece in its recovery in the last decade. Starting from a makeover of 269 civil war-torn houses, it is now abuzz with a variety of cafes (earning its name Cafe City), restaurants, boutiques, shops, department stores carrying all signature collection. This rejuvenated 1.8 million square meter war-ravaged Beirut Central District (BCD) boasts a multi-billion dollar project responsible for resurrecting the commercial and tourist capital of Lebanon and the region.
Over 60 outlets mushroomed, just as at Solidere’s launch alone, with international cuisine and products offered to suit the status-conscious ultra-chic Lebos. A prime location on-site overlooks the ancient Phoenician ruins of Berytus, still under excavation to date. On weekends, the plaza basks in a semi-Mardi Gras revelry with the entire destination pedestrianized by families and couples, tourists and locals. The mega project awaits the completion of the $90-100 million, 100,000-sq m souk – biggest jewel on the crown of the late premier Rafik Hariri’s brainchild.
However, since the February 14 assassination of Prime Minister Hariri, tourism prospects have become bleak. Profits began to plunge from record-high revenue levels in previous fiscal years. As a result, tourism leaders have resorted to a different approach. Mountain resort and spa tourism is currently being tapped to divert attention from the heat that is in Beirut. A group of investors thought the idea will fly with the Phoenix rising in their horizon. There are still issues to be resolved, somehow.
“When stability is achieved in this country, the government will have to focus more on tourism development. Cleaning the sea, providing infrastructure, organizing the areas along the seashore for tourism and growing mountain tourism opportunities should be at the top of their agenda,†said CEO-chairman of FIR’s Real Estate Holding SAL Jean Rizk.
“Short distances between mountains and oceans are our unique selling points.
But beautiful areas of Lebanon aren’t made useful because of problems in infrastructure, road works, and proper drainage. There has been no plan as yet to help us gain extensively from our mountains.†Folks from these mountains are leaving for the cities due to a major lack of opportunities.
Rizk confirms the easy way out for them is to seek greener pastures in bigger towns or simply go abroad.
“But we want to hire our labor force from the mountains,†said Robert Zoghbi, General Manager, Intercontinenal Mountain Resort and Spa at Mzaar. He said in doing so they want to reflect the true feel of mountain hospitality, a right spirit and attitude towards the outlines. “Sometimes, it may not be as refined and elegant at night as one would expect. But this is how we want to portray a sense of generosity that comes from the heart rather than one that is studied and trained.†Zoghbi claimed they do train their people as per company standard but they don’t want to lose the aspect of the mountain feel in respect to customer service.
Majority of the staff at Mzaar Intercontinenal comes from the mountains from the north to the south, with 70 percent from the surrounding villages; 90 percent of the staff comes from people who lived above 800-1000 meters. Anyone who can relocate to Mzaar is welcomed, as the resort offers free housing.
“We do it to keep the genuine feel. Of course, understanding the concept of the mountain including the risks and the requirements of mountain living needs staff who can physically and mentally integrate. Otherwise, one is bound to fail as an operator when you hire sea-born or city people who would miss the social life thus creating a little bit of pressure on them and us.†It is a must to have staff share and participate in this mountain resort living and livelihood.
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