In recent years, there has been talk about the tiny Mediterranean country heading toward economic bankruptcy akin to Greece’s 2009 crisis. At a news conference in Beirut on Thursday, Pierre Achkar, president of the Lebanese Hotel Federation for Tourism, said more than 150,000 hotel owners, partners, employees and their families face an imminent threat due to the economic crisis. December is typically a busy month for the tourism industry because of Christmas and holiday festivities. Many Lebanese expatriates who typically flock to Lebanon at this time of year are now reluctant because of the unrest. In the restaurant sector, business was down 70% in recent weeks, according to Maya Noun, general secretary of the syndicate of restaurant owners.

Source: thestar December 20, 2019 13:01 UTC