Saudi tourists make up biggest spenders in Lebanon

TOURIST BOOM: Arab tourist make up 41.3% pf all tourist to Lebanon, according to official figures. (Getty Images)

Saudi tourists were the biggest spenders in Lebanon, making up 20 percent of total tourist spend in the country during the first quarter of 2009, it was reported on Sunday.

Emiratis made up the second higher spenders accounting for 13 percent of total spend, Kuwaitis followed with 12 percent, Egyptians with eight percent and Jordanians with six percent, according to Saudi daily Arab News.

Overall Arab visitors formed 41.3 percent of the total number of visitors to the country, revealed statistics issued by the Lebanese Ministry of Tourism.

Beirut had a lion’s share of tourist spending reaching 82 percent, with 66 percent of the money going clothes, 12 percent on watches and five percent on perfumes and cosmetics.

Meanwhile, the number of Lebanese expatriates during the first quarter of 2009 rose by 53.6 percent compared to the same period in 2008.

In March alone the number of Lebanese expatriates visiting their home country exceeded 100,000.

The total number of visitors to Lebanon during the first three months was 297,679, according to the data

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