Israeli threats of a full-scale war on Lebanon have reached a fever pitch, intensified by the Israeli Chief of Staff's latest threats from the southern border on Tuesday. As the summer season approaches, fear and anxiety over potential security escalations have spread among the Lebanese, both residents and expatriates.

A source from the Association of Travel and Tourism Agencies told Al-Markazia news agency that the direct psychological impact of Israeli threats is "immense,” revealing that "this week has seen a sharp downward trend, with the full extent of the decline likely to become evident in the next 48 hours."

The source said that "Eid al-Adha bookings are very low, reflecting a dire situation", pointing out that the tourism sector has been affected by regional security issues for some time, not just recently. Regarding summer bookings, the source mentioned that Lebanese expatriates fall into three categories: those who have decided not to come, those who are still undecided, and those who are determined to visit Lebanon regardless of the situation.

As for tourists in general, the negative impact has been significant since the Gaza War began, the source added.

The source disclosed that there has been a "wave of cancellations of bookings over the past 20 days," and that the tourism sector has experienced a stark stagnation since the day before yesterday, affecting both incoming and outgoing travel bookings.

This summer promises to be challenging even if Israel does not follow through on its war threats, the source lamented. The heightened levels of fear and anxiety are likely to freeze tourism activities, which will inevitably affect the economy as well.