Demands of the Lebanese hospitality sector

November 15,2019 0 Rita Ghantous

The board of directors of the Syndicate of Owners of Restaurants, Cafés, Night-Clubs & Pastries in Lebanon (RCNP) presided by Tony Ramy convened on Monday 11 November at the Syndicate headquarters to discuss the current economic situation in the country. After much deliberation the Syndicate RCNP issued the following open letter to officials:

“Tourism establishments, with their owners and workers, are in jeopardy. 150,000 families are threatened with their livelihood and future! It is a cry for help for our lost rights. Will anyone answer our cries?

At this stage tourism establishments are still suffering from past and current ordeals, like the inability to pay bank dues, taxes, fines, electricity and water bills, as well as additional taxes and bank interest rates and the suspension of banking facilities and additional costs. This difficult situation and circumstances, not only threatens tourism institutions, but also their employees (125 000 workers and their families), therefore we demand to be included in the financial plan and re-structuring that the government is working on.

Our demands:

Restructuring the companies’ debts, giving them a grace period of one year, with an interest that does not exceed 5%, to be implemented following the new government formation.
Getting funded by banks, in order to launch marketing campaigns and develop the companies that have been affected by the experienced crisis which caused the cancellation of trips, conferences and exhibitions. It resulted in the loss of all past efforts to put back Lebanon on the tourism map.
Long-term restructuring of taxes with the cancellation of all fines. Exercising leniency in the payment of electricity and water bills, to be implemented with a grace period of one year upon the formation of the government.”

In addition, President Tony Ramy urged real estate owners, to review the rent allowances taking into account these exceptional circumstances in order to persevere and continue. The attendees embraced the demands and asked suppliers to be lenient and understanding as this crisis is affecting all sectors.

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About author

Rita Ghantous

Publication Executive

Rita Ghantous is a hospitality aficionado and a passionate writer with over 9 years’ experience in journalism and 5 years experience in the hospitality sector. Her passion for the performance arts and writing, started early. At 10 years old she was praised for her solo performance of the Beatles song “All My Love” accompanied by a guitarist, and was approached by a French talent scout during her school play. However, her love for writing was stronger. Fresh out of school, she became a freelance journalist for Noun Magazine and was awarded the Silver Award Cup for Outstanding Poetry, by The International Library of Poetry (Washington DC). She studied Business Management and earned a Masters degree from Saint Joseph University (USJ), her thesis was published in the Proche-Orient, Études en Management book. She then pursued a career in the hospitality industry but didn’t give up writing, that is why she launched the Four Points by Sheraton Le Verdun Newsletter. Her love for the industry and journalism led her to Hospitality Services - the organizers of the HORECA trade show in Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Jordan, as well as Salon Du Chocolat, Beirut Cooking Festival, Whisky Live and other regional shows. She is currently the Publications Executive of Hospitality News Middle East, Taste & Flavors and Lebanon Traveler. It is with ultimate devotion for her magazines that she demonstrates her hospitality savoir-faire.