E: What was the ministry’s strategy in 2003? AA: This year should see a robust and energetic campaign to promote the Lebanese tourist industry, especially in light of the encouraging figures that were recorded in 2003. Not since 1974, 20 years ago, have we seen over one million visitors and the business that was generated was in the region of $1.6 billion or 10% of GDP. This growth, which realistically began in earnest in 2000, should translate into the end of 2003 seeing 1.1 million visitors, mainly from Arab countries, compared to 936,000 for 2002. E: How do you explain the fact that 2003 was an unstable year for the region, while the local tourism industry saw a considerable improvement? AA: Well, we still have regional instability and some foreign countries still associate us in their media with terrorism, but the reality is that tourists are amazed when they
