Marketing nostalgia

ENAR

On Sunday September 28, Bliss Street was transformed into a pedestrian only zone for the day as people celebrated Hamra’s golden days of the 1960s and 1970s in an event called “Flashback Beirut.” In 2012, the book “Pure Nostalgia” by Imad Khozem was published. It is described by the author as “Lebanon’s record of the 1960s–1970s” and features images from that period. Clearly, this more positive period of Beirut’s history, now considered “retro” or vintage, holds a strong fascination for many Lebanese. [pullquote]“I wanted it to be an escape to the past because we Lebanese are losing something essential which is the identity of our country”[/pullquote] Why nostalgia This fascination with the past is mainly driven by nostalgia, an emotion that hospitality venues, both old and new, are increasingly counting on to reel in or retain clients. In describing the motive behind compiling his book, which took three years to