INFLUENCE OF CULTURAL TOURISM IN THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL GROWTH IN LEBANON
Lebanon enjoys a geographical location, a rich, and distinctive cultural history, attracting tourists from different regions around the world. Lebanon’s cultural heritage is reflected in the archaeological sites that reflect the Phoenician, Greek, and Roman civilizations, among others. Lebanon has an ancient history that left its mark on its culture, and cultural tourism in Lebanon can help it rise from the economic and social crises that it has suffered from since the fall of 2019. Cultural tourism is an important product in the international tourism market, it is a tourist activity that allows the visitor to learn and discover cultural aspects material and non-material including arts and architecture historical and cultural heritage food heritage literature, and music industries festivals, and museums, and exhibitions and national parks and wildlife reserves and religious places and temples and churches. Cultural tourism contributes to enhancing the identities of communities, enhancing communication between cultures, preserving the heritage and culture of the region, as well as contributing to the development of multiple economic sectors, such as agriculture,handicrafts, and creative industries, and leads to diversifying the local economy and reducing its dependence on other sources of income. This research paper aims to answer the following question: How can cultural tourism contribute to the economic and social recovery of Lebanon? By answering this question, this paperwill delve into researching the solutions that the Lebanese state must take to enhance cultural tourism in Lebanon.
Keywords: Lebanon, Culture, Tourism, Cultural Tourism, Economic and Social Growth.