Saudi tourists dominate Lebanon spending in 2009

[Greg Davis]

Even though the Saudis and other arabs spend big in Lebanon, the most effective and flow through spenders are the Expats.

You see, the Saudis stay in Saudi owned hotels drive rental cars owned by saudi businessmen, buy clothes from malls they own and have fun in clubs and resorts they own.

Since our tax system is wrong on so many levels, those businesses pay minimal tax, and the flow through effect is minimal and adverse in many areas.

Expats on the other hand, generally dwell in their home towns, where their holidays generally begin with cash handouts to loved ones, and out of courtesy shop at their local businesses, contribute to whatever charitable events and projects occurring in their local area. They generally tend to renovate their homes and acquire furniture and buy a car that support local tradesmen, furniture manufacturers, car dealers and services stations.

Yes, if we can harness the revenues and impose capital gains tax on businesses that do benefit from the gulf tourists, Lebanon can benefit from them, but for now, lets jest sit back and watch our infrastructure crumble while Saudi owned businesses make huge profits at our expense .

[Dry Ice]

Originally Posted by nuknuk

That's pure nonsense. When hotels in Beirut fill up, laundries in Keserwen will end up with more business.

Lebanese hotels also employ a sizable chunk of local workforce.

[Dry Ice]

Originally Posted by Greg Davis

You see, the Saudis stay in Saudi owned hotels drive rental cars owned by saudi businessmen, buy clothes from malls they own and have fun in clubs and resorts they own.

Interesting observation, would you have names of such establishments and of their owners?

[joe tayyar]

Originally Posted by Greg Davis

Even though the Saudis and other arabs spend big in Lebanon, the most effective and flow through spenders are the Expats.

You see, the Saudis stay in Saudi owned hotels drive rental cars owned by saudi businessmen, buy clothes from malls they own and have fun in clubs and resorts they own.

Since our tax system is wrong on so many levels, those businesses pay minimal tax, and the flow through effect is minimal and adverse in many areas.

Expats on the other hand, generally dwell in their home towns, where their holidays generally begin with cash handouts to loved ones, and out of courtesy shop at their local businesses, contribute to whatever charitable events and projects occurring in their local area. They generally tend to renovate their homes and acquire furniture and buy a car that support local tradesmen, furniture manufacturers, car dealers and services stations.

Yes, if we can harness the revenues and impose capital gains tax on businesses that do benefit from the gulf tourists, Lebanon can benefit from them, but for now, lets jest sit back and watch our infrastructure crumble while Saudi owned businesses make huge profits at our expense .

Phoenicia and vendome intercontinental is for sal7a family no shares for saudis not even for hariri.
Metropolitan is for Habtour.
I can say that Grand hills is for mouawad with saudi money.
However that does not mean they own the area where they stay.
Ill give you an example:
Staying in metropolitan does not mean to cover the cross of St. Rita church,because they are annoyed seeing it.
Staying in Grand Hills does not mean they will build a mosque in Broumana.

[Greg Davis]

Originally Posted by joe tayyar

Phoenicia and vendome intercontinental is for sal7a family no shares for saudis not even for hariri.
Metropolitan is for Habtour.
I can say that Grand hills is for mouawad with saudi money.
However that does not mean they own the area where they stay.
Ill give you an example:
Staying in metropolitan does not mean to cover the cross of St. Rita church,because they are annoyed seeing it.
Staying in Grand Hills does not mean they will build a mosque in Broumana.

You are missing my point.

My point isn't that all hotels in Beirut are Saudi or that all institutions are owned by Saudis, but that these institutions generate huge revenues for their owners, while the owners pay minimal taxes and if assessed correctly one would deduce that the taxes they do pay are less than the maintenance costs required to maintain local infrastructure to support these institutions. The flow through effect just isn't there. And If these businesses are foreign owned, the adversity is much larger.

Let me ask you a question.

It cost me 500 dollars per night at the phonecia hotel in beirut. In a country like australia, 200 dollars of that 500 would go to the tax department in tax. What is the percentage actually flowing through to the Lebanese government/people?

My other point is that a majority of Expat spending goes straight to individuals and small businesses that are predominately locals. This spending has a positive and direct impact on locals and their livelihoods.

[X]

Question: What's better than spending the hot and humid summer surrounded by people who wear mesheye abou esba3?

Answer: Having dinner in a restaurant, a Saudi sitting on the table next to you begins playing with his toes.

[NExtLeb]

Originally Posted by Greg Davis

Even though the Saudis and other arabs spend big in Lebanon, the most effective and flow through spenders are the Expats.

You see, the Saudis stay in Saudi owned hotels drive rental cars owned by saudi businessmen, buy clothes from malls they own and have fun in clubs and resorts they own.

Since our tax system is wrong on so many levels, those businesses pay minimal tax, and the flow through effect is minimal and adverse in many areas.

Expats on the other hand, generally dwell in their home towns, where their holidays generally begin with cash handouts to loved ones, and out of courtesy shop at their local businesses, contribute to whatever charitable events and projects occurring in their local area. They generally tend to renovate their homes and acquire furniture and buy a car that support local tradesmen, furniture manufacturers, car dealers and services stations.

Yes, if we can harness the revenues and impose capital gains tax on businesses that do benefit from the gulf tourists, Lebanon can benefit from them, but for now, lets jest sit back and watch our infrastructure crumble while Saudi owned businesses make huge profits at our expense .

excellent, Greg. this exactly sheds light on the economic model that hariri mafia built: tourism and real-estate Beirut-centered economy catering for oil-money rich people. We all know if it were not for the expats money (25% of GDP), real poverty figures would then be alarming. we know that we dont have european, north american, eastern asian tourists, no decent 2-and-3-star hotels in Lebanon, while these people are not looking for shopping at malls, as much as discovering Lebanon's real natural and historical heritage. I think the regional connection plan in process now (Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Egypt) will open up our country to this category of tourists.

[hannaalsayssa]

Originally Posted by Greg Davis

Even though the Saudis and other arabs spend big in Lebanon, the most effective and flow through spenders are the Expats.

You see, the Saudis stay in Saudi owned hotels drive rental cars owned by saudi businessmen, buy clothes from malls they own and have fun in clubs and resorts they own.

Since our tax system is wrong on so many levels, those businesses pay minimal tax, and the flow through effect is minimal and adverse in many areas.

Expats on the other hand, generally dwell in their home towns, where their holidays generally begin with cash handouts to loved ones, and out of courtesy shop at their local businesses, contribute to whatever charitable events and projects occurring in their local area. They generally tend to renovate their homes and acquire furniture and buy a car that support local tradesmen, furniture manufacturers, car dealers and services stations.

Yes, if we can harness the revenues and impose capital gains tax on businesses that do benefit from the gulf tourists, Lebanon can benefit from them, but for now, lets jest sit back and watch our infrastructure crumble while Saudi owned businesses make huge profits at our expense .

the saudis make life very expensive for us and the genuine tourists.
they increase the price of.

hotels
car hires
food
restaurants
flats/real estates

i am not against them coming, just stating that such tourists who concentrate in one area, usually do more harm than good.

we need tourists who will venture outside the solidere and will spend money in the other areas.

since the govt of sa3doun and beyond never fixed such areas= no tourists will botehr going there.
i recall couple oy years i took some german friends to 2al3at mousaylaha in batroun ( i was embarassed that there was no public toilets).

at the end let everybody come, they are welcome
BASS WE SHOULD REALLY TRY TO BRING THE EUROPEANS ( GERMANS)
AND TAKE BETTER CARE OF THE EXPAT LEBANESE ( they constitute our bread & butter and the reason lebanon still fucntion)

A BIG SALUTE TO OUR PEOPLE.

[da3em]

Originally Posted by X

Question: What's better than spending the hot and humid summer surrounded by people who wear mesheye abou esba3?

Answer: Having dinner in a restaurant, a Saudi sitting on the table next to you begins playing with his toes.

What a racist stereotyping comment!
Shame to see the "freedom and human rights fighters" transform into fascist xenophobes!

I rarely post here, but since this the most read lebanese forum, I have to apologize in the name of the Lebanese to all the Saudis who read this post... We are not all racists!

[MockingBird]

Originally Posted by da3em

What a racist stereotyping comment!
Shame to see the "freedom and human rights fighters" transform into fascist xenophobes!

I rarely post here, but since this the most read lebanese forum, I have to apologize in the name of the Lebanese to all the Saudis who read this post... We are not all racists!

ok you apologize in your own name
don't get us involved
X was telling the truth