Lebanon’s hospitality sector Is fuelling an economic comeback

Lebanon’s restaurant and hospitality sector generates around $6.35 billion in annual revenue, making it one of the country’s largest non-financial industries (Statista, 2025). This includes restaurants, cafés, hotels, catering companies, and nightlife establishments, a network that supports tens of thousands of jobs.

The country’s hospitality sector has always been a pillar of the economy, a magnet for tourism, and one of the country’s strongest cultural exports. In 2025, the industry is showing renewed strength, reflecting a broader, cautious recovery across the country. A 20% increase in tourist arrivals in 2025 (EBRD) helped push spending higher, with both returning diaspora and foreign visitors driving demand for dining, entertainment, and hospitality experiences.

Tourism’s visible rebound

After years of instability, 2025 gave Lebanon a glimpse of what a rebound could look like. Summer brought a noticeable rise in arrivals, led primarily by the Lebanese diaspora, who continue to serve as the country’s most reliable tourism engine. Their return revived foot traffic in key hospitality hubs from Batroun to Beirut, helping restaurants recover from the severe downturn of previous years.

While traditional tourist segments from the Gulf, Europe, and the Americas remain limited, the modest return of international visitors combined with strong local demand has helped stabilize the industry. Across the country, Lebanese-owned restaurants and cafés are introducing new concepts, menus, and experiences. This wave of innovation is particularly strong among small and medium businesses, which are reimagining traditional dishes, opening contemporary dining spaces, and experimenting with modern hospitality trends.

Many Lebanese brands are also expanding internationally, taking their concepts abroad and contributing to the global visibility of Lebanese cuisine. At home, the arrival of international restaurant chains in 2025 added another layer to the landscape, signalling renewed investor confidence in the local market.

Festivals powering momentum

Culinary and hospitality events played a key role in fuelling the sector’s growth this year. Major exhibitions and festivals, from national food fairs to regional cooking competitions, highlighted Lebanon’s culinary diversity and provided a platform for chefs, students, and businesses to showcase their work.

Events like HORECA and the Beirut Cooking Festival drew tens of thousands of visitors, strengthening links between producers, restaurant owners, and consumers. Meanwhile, hospitality and culinary programs at Lebanese universities continued to train the next generation of chefs and restaurant professionals, supporting the sector’s long-term capacity. The momentum seen in 2025 offers encouraging signs for one of Lebanon’s most vital economic sectors. Rising tourist inflows, stronger local spending, and a new wave of culinary talent all point toward gradual recovery.

Lebanon’s restaurant and hospitality sector is proving once again that it can withstand crisis, reinvent itself, and keep delivering what Lebanon is best known for: culture, generosity, and one of the richest culinary identities in the region.