The concept of rural tourism encompasses many forms of tourism, such as nature-based tourism, community-based tourism, ecotourism, agro-tourism, and many more. Scholars consider tourism an important tool for revenue generation for communities living in rural areas. However, ineffective planning and management of the tourism industry may lead to undesired results in rural destinations, sometimes negatively affecting their rich natural and cultural heritage. In Lebanon, the last decade witnessed an increase of the rural tourism share within the tourism industry. Until today, there are no scientific studies of the supply and demand for this sector in Lebanon. This survey aims to analyze the demand for rural tourism among the domestic market hoping to provide information for actors in the field. The data showcase evidences about the needs, preferences and expectations of potential urban travelers, and factors affecting them. Data collection was completed in May 2014 with a sample of 436 persons, mostly Lebanese urban inhabitants, during the Travel Lebanon exhibition dedicated to promote rural tourism in Lebanon. The statistical analysis revealed important information about the perception and behavior of potential visitors. Personal characteristics, especially respondents' personal income and cultural background, have been identified as major factors that affect their decision-making process regarding tourism services and facilities. Results also revealed a lack of awareness by the surveyed respondents about critical sustainable tourism issues in rural areas, and a visitor perception that is somewhat different from what is actually being provided by tourism stakeholders in rural areas.
Doubts exist about the ability of ecotourism to make tangible contributions to sustainable development. Despite the doubts ambiguity, ecotourism is closely related to sustainability. This paper aims to study the contribution of ecotourism to sustainable development in Lebanon from a market perspective. In order to assess the level of understanding of the ecotourism concept by the Lebanese nature-based tour operators and their contribution to sustainable development, field data related to their profile and practices was collected using a survey administered to 50 operators. The main findings showed that their compliance with the international ecotourism principles and guidelines is weak and that they have a low level of specialization. However, despite this fact, ecotourism is trending in Lebanon and is providing rural areas with some economic benefits and opportunities without having a comprehensive contribution to ecological conservation and cultural preservation. Two decades after its emergence in Lebanon, ecotourism remains an unorganized sector.
Purpose of the study: The main objective of this study is to analyze the profile of Lebanese ski resorts’ visitors, their motivations, preferences, and perceptions. Thus, authors seek to analyze the characteristics of seasonal tourism demand in Lebanese ski resorts for the sake of reducing seasonality. Methodology: Quantitative methods were used and four out of the five ski resorts in Lebanon were analyzed. An online questionnaire was distributed to visitors, using a mix of self-selection and snowball sampling techniques. The questionnaire resulted in 206 respondents. Responses showed high internal validity with a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.83. Main Findings: The relationship between place attachment and annual visitations was validated and authors were able to point the deteriorated value for money among resorts. Furthermore, the K-mean clustering resulted in segmenting visitors into three groups of interest to be targeted in order to reduce seasonality. Implications: This study helps the winter and snow tourism stakeholders in Lebanon to reduce tourism seasonality and consequently develop sustainable tourism products. It also enhances previous studies conducted on seasonal tourism demand. Limitations: The main limitation is that not all stakeholders were examined. Further research is needed to be conducted on visitors’ decision-making processes and their actual behavior. The proposed segments in this study are subject to future tests and investigations. The novelty of the study: With no previous research attempting to analyze seasonal demand in Lebanese ski resorts; this study has a vital role to play in developing sustainable tourism products and helping winter and snow tourism stakeholders to reduce tourism seasonality. The clusters presented at the end of this paper are considered as a new proposition for ski resorts’ managers who are shifting toward all-season operations.
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