USV Annals of Economics and Public Administration (Jun 2021)
Covid-19 impact on Eco-tourism destinations in Lebanon: Shouf Biosphere Reserve
Abstract
The Covid-19 pandemic has hit tourism industry, affecting the livelihoods of people and the whole economy. Tourism managers seek for recovery plans to attain more sustainable tourism destinations. Hence, investing in protected areas is considered a vital tool for rural development and for building greener and safer tourism destination. Lebanon has significant unexploited potentials of natural assets presenting a dynamic background for ecotourism investments. Boosting protected areas in Lebanon may contribute to the development of sustainable tourism and strengthen the tourism industry. Shouf Biosphere reserve presents a worthy background for improved eco-tourism management to lessen the impact of reduced tourists’ influx to the region on locals living around. New niches in ecotourism have been blossomed in the biosphere but still confronted with several challenges that require a sustainable strategy for eco-tourism to be implemented in the country. In this context, the present paper aims to observe the ecotourism development in this biosphere region before and after the awake of Covid-19 and investigate the attitudes of tourists towards the evolvement of new niches of tourism in the region. Moreover, it suggests recommendations that may help to recover the losses of tourism industry and may contribute in further development of eco- tourism in protected areas in Lebanon..
