LEBANON This Publication Has Been Produced with the Financial Assistance of the European Union Under the ENI CBC Mediterranean
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
ATTRACTIONS, INVENTORY AND MAPPING FOR ADVENTURE TOURISM LEBANON This publication has been produced with the financial assistance of the European Union under the ENI CBC Mediterranean Sea Basin Programme. The contents of this document are the sole responsibility of the Official Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Services and Navigation of Barcelona and can under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of the European Union or the Programme management structures. The European Union is made up of 28 Member States who have decided to gradually link together their know-how, resources and destinies. Together, during a period of enlargement of 50 years, they have built a zone of stability, democracy and sustainable development whilst maintaining cultural diversity, tolerance and individual freedoms. The European Union is committed to sharing its achievements and its values with countries and peoples beyond its borders. The 2014-2020 ENI CBC Mediterranean Sea Basin Programme is a multilateral Cross-Border Cooperation (CBC) initiative funded by the European Neighbourhood Instrument (ENI). The Programme objective is to foster fair, equitable and sustainable economic, social and territorial development, which may advance cross-border integration and valorise participating countries’ territories and values. The following 13 countries participate in the Programme: Cyprus, Egypt, France, Greece, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Lebanon, Malta, Palestine, Portugal, Spain, Tunisia. The Managing Authority (JMA) is the Autonomous Region of Sardinia (Italy). Official Programme languages are Arabic, English and French. For more information, please visit: www.enicbcmed.eu MEDUSA project has a budget of 3.3 million euros, being 2.9 million euros the European Union contribution (90%). CONTENTS 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ......................................................................................... 4 2. ATTRACTION INVENTORY FOR ADVENTURE TOURISM .................................... 8 2.1 ATTRACTION LIST AND MAPPING ...........................................................................................9 2.1.1 MAP SUMMARY ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 9 2.1.2 CULTURAL RESOURCES ..................................................................................................................................................................14 2.1.3 ADVENTURE ACTIVITIES .................................................................................................................................................................18 2.2 ATTRACTIONS LIST AND MAPPING IN PILOT AREAS ........................................................31 2.2.1 AKKAR ...........................................................................................................................................................................................................31 2.2.1.1 DONIYEH .............................................................................................................................................................................................37 2.2.2. ZGHARTA DISTRICT .......................................................................................................................................................................40 2.2.3 BCHARE ..................................................................................................................................................................................................45 2.2.4 BATROUN ...............................................................................................................................................................................................50 2.2.5 BYBLOS ....................................................................................................................................................................................................54 2.2.6 KASROUANE .........................................................................................................................................................................................58 2.2.7 CHOUF ....................................................................................................................................................................................................64 2.2.8 JEZZINE ...................................................................................................................................................................................................68 3. ADVENTURE TOURISM ECOSYSTEM ................................................................ 71 3.1. INFRASTRUCTURE AND MOBILITY ..........................................................................................72 3.2 SERVICE OFFERED TO VISITORS ........................................................................................... 85 3.2.1. SUPPORT FACILITIES TO ADVENTURE TOURISM AND DISCOVERY ........................................................90 3.3 DMO AND PROMOTION ENTITIES ...........................................................................................92 3.4 STAKEHOLDERS AND AGENTS INVOLVED IN ADVENTURE TOURISM .........................97 4. CONCLUSION ..................................................................................................... 99 ANNEX ..................................................................................................................102 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The below study covers the destinations rise in the promotion of adventure tourism where adventure tourism is already taking along with the promotion of new hiking place in Lebanon and it’s divides into 9 trails and destination. Till this date hiking, pilot areas covering the territory: agritourism, snowshoeing, biking, Nordic and back country skiing are the only 1. Akkar we covered the upper Akkar activities that are taking place in Akkar villages. with a potential to develop other activities 2. Minniyeh Donniyeh considered as such as camping, canyoning, caving an extension to the Akkar territory. and rock climbing. In Akkar our study area covers the following towns of Menjiz, 3. Zgharta Ehden, covering Ehden Qobayat, Akkar el Aatiqa, Fniadiq, Tachee, nature reserve. and Meshmesh. Menjiz is a destination 4. Bchare, covering the Qadicha for cultural tourism whereas the other Valley. mentioned towns are a destination for 5. Batroun, covering Tanourine Cedar hiking and camping lovers. The Lebanon mountain Trail crosses Akkar in section A1, reserve. 1&2. 6. Byblos, covering Bentael nature reserve, Ehmej village and Aqoura ZGHARTA DISTRICT Mountains. Zgharta Ehden is a mountain village 7. Keserwan, covering Chahtoul, located on the South western face of Jabal Moussa Biosphere reserve, and Daher el Adib Plateau. Ehden and Zgharta Kfardebiane. are two towns with the same population and families. Zgharta is the administrative 8. Chouf, covering the nature locality whereas Ehden is a summer and reserves. weekend destination for these families. 9. Jezzine covering Jezzine town. Ehden is located at 1400 m above sea 10. The adventure tourism sector is level, it is the benchmark for biodiversity located in the Ehden nature reserve and growing in Lebanon with tremendous the hometown of the Kozhaya Valley urge for regulation and opportunities part of the Qadicha Valley UNESCO World for development. Heritage Site. Ehden is an adventure AKKAR GOVERNORATE tourism destination, visitors enjoy hiking, snowshoeing, quad, and four wheel It’s the northernmost governorate of drives vehicles, snowmobiling, rappelling, Lebanon. It comprises the single district of caving, camping, agro-tourism, and rope Akkar, subdivided into 121 municipalities1. courses. The Lebanon Mountain Trail Akkar is considered a high biodiversity crosses Ehden in section 5 and 6. area. Adventure tourism is a growing sector for this region and it is in an exponential expansion. The area have seen during the past couple of years a 1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akkar_Governorate Attractions, Inventory and Mapping for Adventure Tourism - Lebanon 5 BCHARE DISTRICT forest protected and open for ecotourism lovers. Another reserve of Cedar trees in District located in the North governorate is the mountains of Jaj opened with hiking the hometown of the Bchare town home of trails and connected with its surrounding the God Cedar forest, the original town of villages. 20 min from the coast there is the famous writer and poet Gibran Khalil Ehmej town that offers nature lovers an Gibran and the Qadicha Valley. Tourism in opportunity to hike and snowshoe on its the district takes place in Bchare, Hasroun, 16 km of trails (a big part of them needs to Dimane, Bazouun and Hadath el Jebbeh be reopened). Agritourism is also taking (home of the mummified bodies). Bchare place in Ehmej at La Vallee Blanche. is home of the highest summit in the Rock climbing in Laqouq at the Mokhada Middle East Kornet es Sawda 3088 m. The site along with alpine skiing in winter. Lebanon Mountain Trail crosses Bchare in Aqoura recently became a destination for section 7&8. Several adventure tourism hikers, snowshoers, river swimmers and activities takes place in Bchare from campers. Aqoura holds Roueiss cave the hiking, rock climbing, caving, canyoning, second deepest cave in Lebanon with a snowshoeing, Nordic skiing, alpine skiing, distance of 6 km. the cave is visited by paragliding,