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Economy
The head of Lebanon's Hotel Syndicate, Pierre al-Ashkar, has warned of a catastrophic 90% decline in hotel and tourism activity, threatening mass layoffs if the ongoing war persists. In a statement, al-Ashkar highlighted that hundreds of workers could lose their jobs as many establishments face collapse. He joined economic bodies in demanding urgent measures, including a three-month extension on tax declarations, work and residency permits, reduced municipal fees and rents, and deferred electricity bills until the conflict ends. Al-Ashkar stressed that hotels and tourism sectors will continue to push for these legitimate demands amid the country's exceptional and dangerous circumstances, aiming to prevent further suffering and operational challenges.
The president of the Federation of Tourism Trade Unions and head of the Hotel Syndicate, Pierre al-Ashkar, issued a statement confirming that the situation in the tourism sector is exactly the same as that of various economic sectors suffering from a sharp contraction in activity.
Al-Ashkar pointed to a frightening decline in hotel activity and various tourism sectors, with rates reaching up to 90%, warning that if the war continues, many tourism establishments could fail, resulting in the layoff of hundreds of workers and employees.
Al-Ashkar said: "On this basis, we raise our voices and join the voices of economic bodies, demanding a package of necessary measures to bolster the resilience of hotels and tourism establishments, namely:
Extension of legal deadlines for all tax declarations of various types for a period of no less than three months from the date of expiry of current deadlines.
Extension of work permits and residency permits for no less than three months.
Reduction of municipal fees.
Reduction of rents.
Deferral of electricity bill payments until after the war ends."
Al-Ashkar confirmed that hotels and other tourism sectors will continue, side by side with economic bodies, to pursue these legitimate demands in light of the exceptional and dangerous circumstances the country is experiencing, in order to achieve them and spare our establishments further problems and suffering.
