Beirut Ranks 20 among World's Top Tourist Destinations
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Beirut ranked 20 in the list of the world's top tourist destinations, the Ministry of Tourism announced on Thursday.
"Beirut came before Paris, Melbourne, Venice and Barcelona on the list of tourism magazine Conde Nast Traveler,” the ministry said in a released statement, noting that the magazine's annual list is based on “its readers' choices.”
1.3 million readers participated in this year's vote, according to the same source.
In its feature, the international publication described Beirut as “Paris of the Middle East.”
"Beirut has a lot to offer to tourists such as the best restaurants and the most exclusive clubs in the world,” it said.
The article noted that the city offers a “tapestry of sects, religions, and lifestyles that provide a feast for the mind of the intellectual.”
The Tourism Ministry pointed out in its statement that this is not the first time Beirut is classified as a top international tourist destination.
It detailed: “In 2009, the New York Times considered the Lebanese capital as the international tourist destination while the Financial Times called it a 'sleepless city.'”
"This is a conclusive evidence on the status Beirut enjoys internationally and on the huge potentials Lebanon has. This puts an end to efforts exerted to tarnish Lebanon's reputation and image through describing the situation as catastrophic and miserable.”
The ministry added: “Beirut is still a desired destination worldwide because of its great civilization, its diversity and its wealth.”
The Lebanese capital is a meeting place for international events thanks to its universities, its hotels, hospitals, its trade activities, and the recreation centers it has, the statement elaborated.
"It is a first class tourist destination.”
The ministry urged all local factions “to collaborate in this stage and benefit from the positive image that Beirut has gained on both the economical and touristic levels.”
“We also call on foreign aviation lines to take into consideration Beirut's touristic status and strive to adopt friendlier contracts with Lebanon."
17 October 2013, 22:40
78
Thank you FPM for your noble and tireless efforts in fruiting the country as one of the top tourist destinations on the planet! These ingrates need to learn a thing or two.
"Beirut came before Paris, Melbourne, Venice and Barcelona on the list of tourism magazine Conde Nast Traveler,” the ministry said in a released statement, noting that the magazine's annual list is based on “its readers' choices.”
Thank you dear tourists for your elating input on the virtues of Lebanon. You people need to get out more and see Lebanon is nothing remotely close to what we see on the forums here.
17 October 2013, 22:03
1212
God Bless the Islamic Secular Resistance and the FPM Tourism Minister for elevating Beirut to this spot on the tourism-o-meter. Tourists are pouring in by their thousands, hotel occupancy is at an all time high (So is this minister), and the economy is booming. Airline tickets to Dahiyeh International Airport are hard to get and are being traded on the black market in capitals across the globe. Turkish tourists are specially welcomed as well as GCC nationals. A Turkish tourist can stay in Dahiyeh for as long as he/she desires free of charge on an all-inclusive basis. Now, that is what I call a Bargain.....!
17 October 2013, 22:08
119
Beirut Ranks 20 among World's Top Tourist Destinations for Egytpians, Syrians, Sri Lankan's.
17 October 2013, 22:37
119
A sample of Beirut tourism diversity: Syrian mu5abarat, Israeli spies, Iranian thugs, (Iranian) drug dealers and drunk over-rich stupid clubbers from Europe and Arab countries.
Beirut is definitely Paris of the Middle East on one specific aspect: high prices and unaffordable life for simple people.
17 October 2013, 23:27
64
What a bunch of made-up BS. I hardly see any lebanese on the streets let alone tourists!
17 October 2013, 23:39
60
Dahya is a nomansland..... Understand it's subhumansland which is nothing like Disneyland!
18 October 2013, 00:34
51
Jajajaja
U nearly killed me!
Dahya is only worthy of people who appreciate the scent of delicate and rare flowers that only grow on trees from that area.
Jajajajaja
¡OMG, I'm ROTFL!
18 October 2013, 00:36
51
Can u smell antisemitism? It,s really really strong!
I believe naharnet should ban this profile, we live in the 21st century bignose degenerate.
18 October 2013, 00:53
40
Didn't u attend school? That's Wat I'd have learned if u had.
18 October 2013, 01:43
22
Beirut today is ecstatic to gain notoriety as a Western-style Sin City. Meanwhile, Beirut loses its Oriental roots with:
-Architecturally traditional buildings being torn down to make way for eyesore towers
-A people relinquishing its native Arabic language because it is deemed more sophisticated to be an Anglophone or Francophone. Some families even speak exclusively French at home.
- An increasingly libertine society with women (and men) embracing a Western sexual lifestyle without accounting for the negative repercussions that come with it, namely the breakdown of The Family. Consider that many sociological studies have found a significant correlation between promiscuity and divorce rates.
The Lebanese must realize that their true wealth comes from a preservation of their millenia-long Oriental culture and not from a blind adoption of Westernization. Remember that and watch the tourists flow.
18 October 2013, 03:41
10
the only 1 getting excited is ur girlfriend when she stuffs the ball gag in ur mouth. jaja
u r such a kidd
18 October 2013, 05:41
01
Long comment divided in 2 parts due to restriction on size.
Dear Comentators,
I am surprised by the comments that follow each article; the discussion always ends up turning into M8&14. I live abroad, and do my best promoting Lebanon as a tourist destination. I understand that each of you feel strongly about their respective party/leader/region etc. But please keep in mind that the beauty of Lebanon, its appeal to the world and what really makes us unique is those differences that we each cherish. If Lebanon had only been Sunni, Christian, Druze or Shiia, we would have really little to offer. What makes us unique is our diversity and being capable to integrate all fabrics of our colorful society into one exceptional little place called Lebanon.
18 October 2013, 05:42
01
(part Two) No other country offer so many international languages spoken fluently on its streets, so many religious sites that inspired miracles half a world away, so many vestiges left by all the conquerors, a variety of food that surprises the most avid restaurant goers, a nightlife that matches any big Metropolis, and mainly our Lebanese hospitality that compares nowhere else. So please, have a little faith in Lebanon. Most tourists do despite the difficult circumstances it is going through. Embrace its diversity; it is what makes us unique and what have permitted us to prevail above everything else.
18 October 2013, 06:56
24
This must be a joke. Lebanon was just listed as the 5th most dangerous country to visit in the world, right after Syria, Yemen, Cote D'ivoire and Somalia. We use to brag about the fact it was called the Paris of the Middle east. We were proud of our heritage and our culture, and enjoyed the nice weather and beautiful scenery. Tourists came in, spent money and really enjoyed their visit. Most came back time and time again. Beirut used to be a thriving city, THE financial hub of the region and our economy, although small and not perfect-was ok, despite the fact we had no natural resources and no majors industries to speak of. The Lebanese Lira was highly convertible and its value was solidly backed by gold. Do you guys remember all this stuff? Anybody under 50 cannot possibly remember. Chaos, corruption, killing, kidnapping, lawlessness,human trafficking, terrorism, etc..is what they are used to seeing. congratulations for a great ranking!
18 October 2013, 10:32
21
Don't remember being abducted after arrival in Paris airport or being threatened and controlled by militia men. Maybe I just didn't notice?
18 October 2013, 10:33
01
Beacon is not 7alal man, it won't shine a lot in this region...
18 October 2013, 14:48
20
it all depends on the way the survey was done and what the questions were to come up with such an unusual results. Who would want to go to Lebanon at times like these????? I wouldn't. Riviera Maya Mexico for me.
Beach and sun are best part of life. Sometimes my kids and family ;-)
18 October 2013, 15:57
00
This doesn't make it a good place to live, though... On the happiness scale, only 3% of Lebanese people were happy in their country!
18 October 2013, 16:42
20
a polluted dirty noisy jammed city is a top destination? LOL tourists must be masochistics!
18 October 2013, 17:21
02
To all losers above.
You are all a bunch of naggers. Beirut deserves this ranking. It is an exceptional city. Start appreciating your country and thinking how you can help instead of nagging about it. Beirut has its faults but each city in the world has its faults. Beirut is safer than New York, it is sunnier than Paris, Cleaner than Naples, it has family structure without being too rigid. It is your city God damn it. Stop complaining!
18 October 2013, 20:20
00
A semite is a person who is a member of an ethnic group whose language is a member of the Semitic branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family. The term that is used nowadays has nothing to do with Abrahamic lore.
18 October 2013, 20:24
10
*Other than getting its name from the character, the term semite isn't defined with a scriptural basis.
18 October 2013, 20:52
11
Lebanon 1st, I appreciate your positive comments about Beirut. You make it sound like we do not love the old country, we do. It is painful to read that Lebanon was ranked 5Th most dangerous country to visit. To deny that is putting your head in the sand. I wish we are getting a fraction of the tourists that New York, Paris and Naples get. To do something about the problem you have first and foremost acknowledge it exists. To live in perpetual denial is a sign of someone who is almost not intelligent.
25 October 2013, 18:37
01
What people don’t seem to fully understand is that Conde Nast has ranked these cities as best tourist destinations. There are other sites on Facebook where you can find best cities that were valued according to their standard of living; The standard of living in Beirut may not be the best, but it’s a lot better than many cities around the world. But that’s not the point! The cities that ranked 25 best were given such rankings from a touristic point of view.
Besides, If the city that you live in had gone through all the hardship of civil war, invasion, occupation and destruction, you would all be proud of it for rising up from the rubble and ashes time and again yet remaining as beautiful as ever and continuing to be prosperous despite all the above mentioned factors. Give Beirut and Lebanon a fricken break will you?
18 August 2014, 14:17
00
Ok! I am libanese and I am happy to see beirut, Lebanon a good place to vist. But trust, If my country work better in tripoli like Beirut, tripoli would be better than Beirut I think.
25 April 2017, 18:21
00
AAAhhh we muslims.... we cannot agree with each other on simple things. im visiting beirut in near future and so tried to see what it is like. but i guess we are all the same. everywhere muslims in the world have developed this strange way of talking and thinking and we are exaclty the same. everywhere. anyway. Love to Beirut from Pakistan. one of our singers sang a song on Beirut recently in which he showed his grief over the way things are in Beirut nowadays.
