LEBANON 2008-2009

LAUNCH OF INNOVATIVE TOURISM CONCEPT
RURAL ROUTES

On June 15, 2009, the "Rural Routes" between Jbeil and Batroun were officially launched by the Australian Ambassador to Lebanon, Lyndall Sachs at a function in Byblos. Present were notable tourism personalities, media, tour operators, transport operators, village representatives, small business operators, project organisers, etc

The launch follows a three year effort to develop the circuit linking villages in the qadas of Byblos and Batroun. Women in these villages are a latent workforce that can contribute to the Lebanese economy. Nour Farra, an expert in tourism and promotion who served as a consultant on the rural routes project, thinks that the project tucks into the wider trend of economic tourism. "The government's strategy was centered on luxury tourism until the turn of the century, but there was an awakening to the potential of rural tourism, which is essentially sustainable development for a community," she said. (The Daily Star, www.dailystar.com.lb, Friday June 19, 2009 issues page 3)

Brochures of the Rural Route were distributed during the launch. The brochures are written in English and Arabic.

We thank the Byblos Tourism Office, the Friends of Byblos, media sponsors: The Daily Star and AlMassira, and everybody who has supported the project through the years.

More on the Lebanon project

Watch a video showing the route and about the signages along the route

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