The number of arrivals to Lebanon through Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport decreased by approximately 5.81% in the first four months of the current year, 2024, compared to the same period of the previous year, 2023.

Figures from Beirut Airport indicate that the number of people who entered Lebanon during this period reached 871,000, compared to 925,000 in the same period of the previous year, 2023.

This result was expected due to the ongoing war in Gaza, which has spread to the southern Lebanese front, affecting the tourist movement in Lebanon.

"Al-Akhbar" newspaper reported that the 5.8% decrease at the beginning of this year, 2024, remains a relatively good figure given that Lebanon is practically at war with Israel.

The continued influx of tourists and expatriates to the country in decent numbers will positively reflect on the economic and financial forecasts for this year, as it will contribute to cash revenues in the form of spending by these arrivals.

However, the problem with the war remains in the halting of a significant part of the economic activity in the southern region, particularly where battles and attacks are concentrated in the border area. This has affected other regions in the south, where part of the investment has stopped due to increased risks and fear of losing investments.

Looking at the numbers of arrivals, it is evident that the last three months of the year 2023, when the war and battles began, witnessed a 17.1% decrease in arrivals compared to the same period in the previous year, 2022, with the number dropping from 757,000 to 624,000.

This difference is natural as, on one hand, the number of flights to Lebanon decreased at the beginning of the war due to insurance companies halting coverage of flights to and from Lebanon due to the risks of war. On the other hand, during that period, uncertainty about what would happen prevailed, with talks of the possibility of a full-scale war continuing until the beginning of the current year, 2024, when these possibilities decreased and the course of the conflict became clearer.