Lebanon’s Minister of Tourism, His Excellency Michel Pharaon paid a courtesy call on Al Habtoor Group Chairman Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor at his office on Wednesday May 7, 2014 on the sidelines of his visit to Dubai. Both the Chairman and Pharaon attended the Arabian Travel Market 2014 earlier in the week. The three-day exhibition is being held at the World Trade Centre.
The Al Habtoor Group is heavily invested in Lebanon with two Hilton-branded hotels in Beirut; The Hilton Beirut Metropolitan Palace and The Hilton Beirut Habtoor Grand.
HE Pharaon, a veteran of Lebanese politics, was appointed Minister of Tourism in February 2014. He first served as Minister of State in 2000.
Al Habtoor and Pharaon, who have known each other for several years, discussed the political and economic situation in Lebanon. Tourism is a mainstay of the Lebanese economy despite the unstable political climate on home ground and in neighbouring Syria.
In an earlier statement, Pharaon mentioned that Gulf Arab states will end the travel warning for citizens thinking of visiting Lebanon this month, a sign of improving relations with the new Lebanese government.
The Al Habtoor Group Chairman briefed HE Pharaon on the Group’s projects underway in Dubai, including the luxury brand The Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah which opened a few months ago, and Al Habtoor City - currently under development on a prime location on Sheikh Zayed Road. The multi-purpose development will include three Starwood hotels on one plot, and three residential towers.
Khalaf Al Habtoor concluded that Minister Pharaon is the right choice to lead the Ministry of Tourism in Lebanon and commended all his efforts. He added: “We are ready to work with Minister Pharaon to help the tourism sector in Lebanon in any way we can, based on our successful experience in Dubai and the UAE”