Lebanon -- economic impact of tourism

from the Daily Star (Lebanon) (8/18):

Lebanon's travel and tourism economy expected to generate $4.43 billion in 2008
Daily Star staff
Monday, August 18, 2008

"BEIRUT: The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) estimated that the travel and tourism industry would contribute directly $1.36 billion to the Lebanese economy, equivalent to 5.7 percent of GDP in 2008, according to a report in Lebanon This Week, an economic publication of the Byblos Bank Group. The report added that direct industry employment will reach 80,000, representing 5.9 percent of total employment in Lebanon this year.

The report said that since travel and tourism (T&T) touches on all sectors of the economy, its real direct and indirect impact is even greater, and forecast the T&T economy overall to generate $4.43 billion, or 18.7 percent, of economic activity in Lebanon in 2008. That would include 252,000 jobs, or one in every 5.4 jobs, representing 18.4 percent of total employment in 2008. The WTTC's definition of T&T includes transportation, accommodation, catering, recreation and services for visitors. It added that the industry's direct contribution to Lebanon's economic activity will rise to $2.3 billion, or 5.2 percent of GDP, in 2018, while the broader T&T economy will contribute $7.5 billion, or 17.1 percent of GDP, by 2018." ...

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