BEIRUT: A 10 percent rise in the airport tax will generate the “first-ever” modern advertising promotion of Lebanon, according to Tourism Minister Fadi Abboud.

He said the budget endorsed by the Cabinet on Friday contained an additional airport tax levy, to fund the campaign.

He added the Tourism Ministry’s budget for 2010 had jumped to $3 million, while it was only $1 million in 2009. Abboud explained advertisement and promotion would be concentrated in Russia, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and Spain.

Abboud was speaking during a ceremony at the Grand Hills resort in Broummana in Mount Lebanon to mark the start of the tourist season.

Abboud stressed the importance of organized tourism in reviving the village and other mountainous regions.

“Mountain tourism constitutes less than 3 percent of the Lebanese tourism sector while it forms 70 percent of the sector in Cyprus,” he said.

Meanwhile, Abboud issued two directives to local tourist establishments, in which he urged investors at the primary stage of getting a license to apply for a final legal investment permit within three months.

“The primary stage approval is not an investment permit and doesn’t give the investor the right to start his investment. It’s only an initial approval to the project presented at the ministry,” the first directive said.

The second directive asked the owners of restaurants and bars to turn down the music volume, only play music in places where it was allowed and abide by earlier Ministry decisions. – The Daily Star

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