Food and wine tourism in post-war Lebanon

Abstract

FOOD AND WINE TOURISM IN POST-WAR LEBANON LINDSAY MILICH MARCH 2011Tourism has played a major role in Lebanon since its peak period of 1930-1974; sometimes subsiding as a result of war and conflict, but always rebounding at least to some extent. Lebanon's touristic appeal includes its geographic location between the East and the West, its varied landscape (beaches and mountains), its hospitable and diverse population, and its well loved cuisine. The focus of this study was food and wine initiatives across the country, and their role as related to the traditional tourism industry.The purpose of this study was to develop an understanding of the nature of regional and community based initiatives within the interrelated sectors of food and wine tourism in post-war Lebanon. Data was collected in January 2011 through personal interviews with experts in the field. Findings revealed a need for greater support of the food and wine industry, as it has proven to be a sustainable alternative to traditional touristic development strategies.

Restaurant failure in post-conflict Beirut: the macroenvironmental context and mismanagement

“…In line with the above research, we found just one study of Milich (2012) on Food and Wine Tourism in Post-War Lebanon noting that while Lebanon was prone to periods of war and conflict, its tourism sector always rebounded. He found that the food and wine industry has great potential within the hospitality industry if it proceeds along sustainable and diverse pathways of development.…”

“…In fact, traditionally, tourism in Lebanon has been oriented toward visiting religious and archeological sites along with experiencing mountains, beaches and Beirut's nightlife. While tourism is a part of Beirut's restaurant scene, the majority of customers are local residents (80%) – unlike the case for food and wine tours or tour packages that include international customers at the hotels and archeological sites (20%) (Milich, 2012).…”