Tour operators report a 50% improvement in bookings over 2003; the streets of Bhamdoun are rocking; guides are having the best summer in three years and their busy season increased to six months…. But Lebanon wants more tourism. EXECUTIVE details how the country can get more by taking a look at tourism niches and sub-niches that have development potential or even untapped capacities. Healing the body Health-related travel is an international tourism market niche to which local experts attribute enormous inbound potential. A broad coalition from the public and private sectors has begun efforts to unleash this potential by cultivating a sub-specialization of health tourism, called medical tourism, and the first results are coming in. In June, Lebanon’s National Council for Health Tourism (NCHT) counted 40 to 50 patient arrivals here from regional countries, marking the beginning of what is hoped to become a huge activity for Lebanese hospitals, doctors
