tourism crisis threatenslebanon\s jeita grotto
Last Updated : GMT 06:49:16
Arab Today, arab today
Arab Today, arab today
Last Updated : GMT 06:49:16
Arab Today, arab today

Mabas attraction close to collapse

Tourism crisis threatensLebanon's Jeita Grotto

Arab Today, arab today

Arab Today, arab today Tourism crisis threatensLebanon's Jeita Grotto

Lebanon's Jeita Grotto
Beirut - Somayya Mahmoud

Lebanon's Jeita Grotto The head of Mabas Lebanese tourism company, and the operator of Lebanon's "Jeita Grotto" tourism site, Nabil Hadad has said tourism in the site has been badly affected due to a variety of reasons. "The situation in the grotto this year is very bad due to a massive decline in tourism due o the unstable political and security situation in Lebanon, not enough attention from the tourism ministry and the municipality of Jeita in dealing with changing requirements for tourism services and the upkeep of the Grotto facilities," he said.
Hadad said to Arabstoday during an inspection visit: "After former prime minister Rafiq Hariri was assassinated in 2005, tourism severely declined...there was also the July wat and Nahr el-Bared conflict..plus today's crisis in Syria has all negatively impacted Lebanese tourism."
Jeita Grotto can be considered the essence of Lebanese tourism, with mysterious, ancient rocks forming its coral and narrow cavities between lobbies, halls, and structures carved by nature.
Across the time limestone water leaked in forming forming domes and sculptures whose beauty cannot be described in words.
The grotto is located in Nahr el-Kalb about 20km from north Beirut and consists of two levels: the lower part where water accumulates forms a pure swamp between tunnels made of limestone rocks, as discovered in the 1830s by an American missionary, William Thomson.
He ventured about 50m inside it after shooting from his hunting gun and discovered from the echo that it was an extended grotto.
The upper level was opened in 1969 after it was discovered in 1958 when the Lebanese artist and engineer Ghassan Click found it in a festival inside the grotto,  playing electronic music prepared by the French musician François Basil for the occasion.
The stages of discovering the Jeita Grotto witnessed a radical change starting from the 1940s and until today new generations of Lebanese excavators, prominent among them an excavators' club founded in 1951 by Lebanese excavator Lionel Ghara, study the site, extending it by 9km today.
Visiting the lower part of the grotto is limited to 600m from 6910m that is known to exist. Visitors of the lower parts move in small boats in a winding water stream, breaking the silence along with the sound of underground water, while passing by natural columns that were formed millions of years ago. The grotto entrance is the biggest in the Middle East, with the pattern standing at  660m and 75 tonnes.
The investment company, the ministry of tourism, and some cultural and social groups had tried to make the natural wonder one of the seven Wonders of the World, but Lebanon was deprived of the blessing.
Hadad said, replying to the grotto administration's critics: "I challenge any investor who can come and invest his money in Jeita Grotto with the conditions and terms imposed on the Mabas company...despite the Lebanese state having a fixed share in entry tariffs, it hasn't borne any extra costs in reconstruction especially after the war...when the contract ends, the government will retain full ownership."

arabstoday
arabstoday

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

tourism crisis threatenslebanon\s jeita grotto tourism crisis threatenslebanon\s jeita grotto

 



Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

tourism crisis threatenslebanon\s jeita grotto tourism crisis threatenslebanon\s jeita grotto

 



GMT 16:52 2017 Tuesday ,21 February

Iraqi troops push into Daesh-held southern

GMT 10:50 2017 Tuesday ,05 December

Technip lands Bahrain refinery mega contract

GMT 08:12 2017 Monday ,10 April

Minister receives School Mini Olympics winners

GMT 13:15 2017 Thursday ,31 August

Al-Basher Arrives in the Holy Land

GMT 18:19 2017 Tuesday ,17 October

Producers' group moves to expel Weinstein

GMT 13:00 2015 Sunday ,18 October

DEWA participates in 11th Women’s Forum in France

GMT 15:48 2017 Wednesday ,22 February

GOIC Encourages Paper Industry in GCC States

GMT 02:41 2016 Tuesday ,08 November

US, Turkey COS held talks on Syria, Iraq

GMT 23:18 2017 Wednesday ,22 November

HRH Premier lauds Bahrain's ability to host major events
Arab Today, arab today
 
 Arab Today Facebook,arab today facebook  Arab Today Twitter,arab today twitter Arab Today Rss,arab today rss  Arab Today Youtube,arab today youtube  Arab Today Youtube,arab today youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday
arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday
arabstoday
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
arabstoday, Arabstoday, Arabstoday