BEIRUT - H.E. Raymond R. Balatbat met with the President of the Association of Travel & Tourist Agents in Lebanon (ATTAL), Mr. Jean Abboud and ATTAL General Manager, Ms. Lina Sinno on 12 October 2023 in Beirut to discuss initiatives to promote Philippine tourism.

Ambassador Balatbat (center) is joined by Third Secretary & Vice Consul Miko Cabatingan (center left) and Economic Assistant Michelle Bou Kanaan (left) in talks with Mr. Abboud  (center right) and General Manager Ms. Lina Sinno (right).

Ambassador Balatbat mentioned Post’s keen interest in promoting the Philippines as a tourist destination with the recent launch of LOVE The Philippines campaign. It was emphasized that the Embassy receives a good number of Lebanese tourist visa applications per week and that Lebanese travel agencies presently offer travels to tropical destinations in South Asia and Southeast Asia; hence, a potential demand and opportunities to increase the number of visitors from Lebanon to the Philippines and vice versa.

Mr. Abboud expressed the association’s willingness and readiness to cooperate with the Philippine Embassy in mutually promoting tourism between both the Philippines and Lebanon. He raised the importance of the Embassy’s role in facilitating business-to-business coordination among travel operators to increase tourism.

The Philippine Embassy commits to facilitate coordination between private Philippine and Lebanese stakeholders in supporting economic and commercial relations, especially in the field of tourism. The meeting is seen as a spring board to future initiatives that would promote the Philippines as Lebanon’s next travel destination.

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