Lebanon, Land of Asylum
« Lebanon is distinguished by the unique proximity between the sea and the mountains. Lebanon's imposing mountain ranges stretch parallel to the Mediterranean Sea coastline, creating a striking geographical diversity that brings together magnificent beaches, green valleys, and snow-covered mountains in winter. »
A typical introduction found in all Lebanese geography textbooks, describing a one-of-a-kind country, equally captivating for locals and tourists alike.
It is therefore not surprising to see the massive influx of foreign nationals, particularly Syrians and Iranians (who, it seems, contribute to a sudden increase in the occupancy rate of certain hotels): Lebanon is paying the price of its success. It is true that we would have preferred to see Westerners or Arabs from the Persian Gulf disembark, but unfortunately, we do not choose our tourists, and it was indeed the ministry concerned that came up with the slogan « Ahla Bhal Tallé » without specifying the nationalities of the « tallé ».
Indeed, it must be noted that the Syrians in question suddenly decided to visit the country starting in December 2024, with the vast majority of them preferring to settle at the borders, in the Beqaa Valley, known for its harsh winter climate and dry summer, but necessarily less harsh and dry than the political climate reigning in Syria, for those who, precisely, precipitously decided to set foot on Lebanese soil.
The same goes for the Iranians who very recently – according to circulating information – invaded certain hotels, a more subtle variant than the invasion carried out in May 2008 by their local militia, but which remains troublesome, insofar as there might be certain individuals listed in the databases of Israeli 'swallows' whose buzzing never ceases to 'brighten' our days.
At heart, these tourists of another kind will acclimate very easily in some of our regions. Indeed, there are beaches that meet their social and cultural criteria: unisex, very virile, where Mohammad Raad officiates as GO (Yelling Organizer), as entertainer it will be Hussein Hajj Hassan whose physique recalls that of Gordon Shumway (thus validating one of Michel Hayek's most ludicrous premonitions), and, of course, Naim Kassem as DJ, replacing the militia's David Guetta, the one who made the republic vibrate with his finger.
It is regrettable, however, to note that Lebanon, as a host country, only receives second- or even third-tier personalities, while celebrities and other VIPs prefer to go east of the Berlin Wall (which is actually west for them), to Russia, despite the notorious fragility of balconies and the purgative effect of their teas.
According to reports published by « World Population Review » at the end of 2025, Lebanon holds the position of first runner-up in the Arab world and fifth globally in terms of the prevalence of mental illnesses and psychological disorders.
We're already an open-air madhouse, and if on top of that, we had to serve as an asylum for criminals….