The number of tourists reached 436,860 in the first four months of 2012 compared to 475,534 recorded in the same period a year earlier, indicating a drop of 8.13% from 2011 and 22.35% from 2010. African tourists surged 17.68% to 17,870 while Arab countries tourists increased by 16.44% to reach 180,593 visitors. In addition, visitors from Asia and Europe stumbled by 59.10% and 5.09% to 44,273 and 129,864 respectively. As for the month of April alone, the number of tourists dropped 8.79% down to 123,006 compared to 134,864 visitors registered in April 2011. Arab tourists grew by 9.41% to 45,057 amounting to 36.63% of total April Tourists. Europeans accounted for the second major group, constituting 34.25% of the total as it summed up to 42,124 visitors. As for incomers from the Americas, they constituted 13.39% of the total or 16,472 visitors. Fourth place was reserved to Asian countries incomers reaching 10,526 tourists while the majority of the rest was accounted to Oceana.
The Lebanon Brief
26 April
