Thinking outside the box

By definition, the hospitality sector is reliant on the presence of tourists, and therefore reliant on peace and stability. It is no wonder then that Lebanon’s hospitality industry, in both its hotels and food and beverage divisions, has been only limping along for the past few years. Yet, ever the entrepreneurs, those in Lebanon’s hospitality sector have developed coping strategies not only to survive in unfavorable conditions, but even to flourish. In the food and beverage sector, while there may not be many luxurious, high end venues performing well, smaller projects — from neighborhood bars to cozy bistros to nargileh houses — are witnessing growth, and many more such projects are in the pipeline for 2015. Lebanese hoteliers have also developed alternative approaches to make up for the loss of tourists from the Gulf. They are relying instead on local tourism from Lebanese living here who simply want to discover