Lebanon Opportunities – August 2019

INDUSTRIAL PERMITS

GREW BY 50 PERCENT

The Ministry of Industry (MoI)

issued 957 industrial permits

last year, an increase of 47 per-

cent compared to 2017. These

include new establishment li-

censes, expansion approvals,

exploitation permits, and re-

newals. “A wide range of the

permits were issued to factories

that had been operating with-

out licenses, after warnings

were issued by MoI to several

factories to [encourage them

to] get licensed,” said Dany

Gedeon, Director General at

MoI. The MoI issued 261 li-

censes for the establishment

of new factories last year, a 35

percent increase compared to

the preceding year. Of these

licenses 56 were issued in the

food industries, 34 for chemi-

cal industries, 21 for plastic

and rubber industries, and 13

for electrical machinery indus-

tries. “Most new investors are

putting small [amounts of] cap-

ital in small enterprises,” said

Mounir Bissat, Secretary Gen-

eral of the Syndicate of Leba-

nese Food Industries. He said

that the industrial food sector

is still attracting investors be-

cause demand for food remains

high regardless of any eco-

nomic situation. Out of all the

industrial permits, food indus-

tries topped the list of permits

issued (263), accounting for 30

percent of the total number of

new permits. Construction ma-

terial industries ranked second

with (118 licenses), account-

ing for 12 percent of the total.

Seven licenses were issued for

heavy industrial factories (in

the MoI’s first category of clas-

sification), 224 for ‘semi-heavy’

industrial factories (the sec-

ond category), 315 licenses for

‘light’ industrial factories (the

third category), 364 for ‘semi-

light’ factories (the fourth

$8 billion. Tourism receipts

expanded at a compound an-

nual growth rate (CAGR) of four

percent during the years 2002

• 
  
  
  
  2018. They posted a CAGR of
        12 percent between 2006 and
        2010, the CAGR dropped five
        percent from 2010 to 2014, and
        the CAGR was 6.5 percent be-
        tween 2014 and 2018. Two mil-
        lion tourists visited the coun-
        try last year, registering a six
        percent increase compared to
        2017, according to the Ministry
        of Tourism (MoT). The number
        of tourists has also increased in
        the first half of 2019, accord-
        ing to the MoT. The Ministry
        announced that the number of
        European tourists grew by 40
        percent this year compared to
        the same period in 2010. Tour-
        ism spending abroad by local
        citizens accounted for $6.5 bil-
        lion in 2018, registering a 12
        percent increase compared to
  
  
  
  

2017. Spending by local tour-
      ists abroad represented 11 per-
      cent of the GDP in 2018. BDL’s
      figures are the only official
      data on receipts from tourism
      activity, and on tourism spend-
      ing abroad by citizens.
      L0819-

category), and 47 licenses for

very light industrial factories

(the fifth category). Industrial

zones in Metn accounted for

the lion’s share of approvals,

with 159 licenses, followed by

Zahle (101) and Aley (84).

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TOURISM REVENUES ARE

THE HIGHEST SINCE 2002

Tourism activity grew ten per-

cent last year compared to the

preceding year, reaching $8.

billion, according to figures re-

leased by the Central Bank

(BDL). Tourism receipts in 2018

were the highest since 2002,

exceeding the year 2010, which

was considered the peak year,

where tourism activity reached

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12 LEBANON OPPORTUNITIES, AUGUST 2019

STÉPHANE ATTALI PASSES AWAY

ESA General Director Stéphane Attali, who was in his post

since 2009, has passed away. Attali was also the President

of MEREF, the French chamber of commerce in Lebanon.

Under his tenure, ESA has succeeded in a large number of

endeavors. It obtained a number of international accreditations,

started new programs such as entrepreneurship, Islamic

finance studies, art, management and others. The campus

also expanded with the creation of several new facilities. Attali

started his career in a consultancy firm in Paris. He joined the

Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Paris in 1999. He was

appointed at ESA Business School where he was in charge of

educational development. He also created an entrepreneurship

program at ESA. Attali holds a diploma from Université Paris-

Dauphine and another degree in Economics and Finance

from Institut d’Études Politiques de Paris (SciencesPo). He

was honored with official decorations from the French and

Lebanese governments.

L0819-

Two million tourists visited the country last year