Representatives of 20 tourism companies from various Arab countries toured tourist and archaeological sites in Lebanon
As it does every year, Lebanese company Rafahia Tourism made a point of staying in touch with its partners in success from various Arab countries by organizing the fourth forum of travel and tourism companies and agents this week, which concluded with great success at the ballroom of the Commodore Hotel in Beirut.
For his part, Walid El-Ass, chairman of Rafahia Travel and Tourism, said the success of this forum is the fruit of joint efforts between Rafahia and the Arab companies that were keen to take part in it, and that it aims to strengthen cooperation among companies in a way that serves the promotion of tourism between Arab countries, as the forum hosts delegations from about 20 tourism companies representing Iraq, Egypt, Algeria, Jordan, Tunisia and Syria.
El-Ass added in his speech at the ceremony that Lebanon is a treasure trove of tourist attractions and a true wealth representing all civilizations, with its archaeological, tourist and heritage sites, in addition to the delicious, tasty and healthy food Lebanon is known for, as well as the atmosphere of entertainment, nightlife and fun that draws tourists to the Land of the Cedars.
El-Ass pointed out that Lebanese hotels stand out for offering the best services and providing comfort for visitors at incentive prices that suit Arab and foreign tourists alike, through special privileges for Rafahia, which has signed cooperation agreements with the best hotels and restaurants in Lebanon.
The ceremony also featured speeches by the participating delegations, who unanimously praised Rafahia's success in organizing the forum for the fourth year in a row, and expressed their great admiration for Lebanon's beauty and the splendor of its nature, the generosity of its people, the delight of its food and the variety of its cuisine of healthy dishes.
At the end of the ceremony, El-Ass distributed shields and souvenirs from Rafahia to the representatives of travel and tourism companies and agents from the Arab countries.
A tour of the Land of the Cedars' top tourist and archaeological sites... with no shortage of entertainment
The tourism program organized by the Rafahia team for its guests, the "FAM Trip", covered Lebanon's most prominent tourist, archaeological and natural sites, as the tours over its four days included Lebanon's enchanting mountains, with a visit to the mountain area of Faraya on a trip to the highest peaks in four-wheel-drive vehicles equipped to travel powerfully and safely through rugged mountain terrain, in a safari trip that leaves visitors with a special experience.
They also visited the Chabrouh Dam, located in deep valleys, which is considered the main supplier of drinking water to residents of the area and lies above the village of Faraya, northeast of Beirut.
The tour included a visit to the venerable heritage and religious monument dedicated to Saint Charbel, passing through heritage villages spread out in splendor and beauty along the roads.
And can a visit to Lebanon be without entertainment?! Certainly not: every evening, Rafahia made sure to delight its guests with an atmosphere of entertainment and organized a tarab night at Beirut's finest hotels, featuring performances by leading singers.
The tour also included Lebanon's most famous natural tourist landmark, with a visit to the Raouche area, home to the famous Raouche sea rock, and the stunning Jeita Grotto, in addition to visiting the most important heritage, tourist and archaeological sites in the "Chouf" area, including the town of Deir el-Qamar with its special character, as well as a visit to the historic Byblos Citadel, and the fun and adventure of riding the teleferique to experience a living panorama of the city of Beirut from a height of up to 2,500 meters, in addition to visiting the giant statue of Our Lady of Harissa in its distinctive location overlooking the entire city.
The tourism delegation also visited "Beiteddine", the historic palace that extends over a vast area, touring its creative archaeological corners and viewing its collection of mosaic furniture and the architecture that distinguishes the palace. And when it comes to art and creativity, a visit to Moussa Castle offers an exciting tour among figures that tell the story of history and heritage. The fourth and final day of the tour included the National Museum, Zaitunay Bay and the Beirut Souks for those who love shopping and buying souvenirs.
In this context, Walid El-Ass noted that the tourism product prepared by Rafahia includes exciting and attractive programs as exploratory trips into Lebanon's beauty, stressing that "Rafahia" is the tourism ambassador of the safe and beautiful country, the homeland of the cedars, "Lebanon", which is gearing up for the winter tourism season that attracts lovers of skiing and snow tourism, especially as the white visitor settles for long periods on the peaks of Lebanon's lofty mountains.
