Lebanon's rebirth as one of the world's most desirable tourist destinations has seen innumerable setbacks. Almost systemic political turmoil and periodic violent spats with its neighbours have historically put it on most Western tourists' blacklists. However, Lebanon has been peaceful since 2006 and has achieved some measure of political stability through its elections in June.
FDI Intelligence statistics for overseas investment projects in Lebanon between January 2003 to May 2009 show that foreign direct investment in the country is largely focused on construction and tourism. By far the biggest group of visitors to visit Lebanon in 2008 were from the Gulf, but with its huge population of ex-pats living across the globe it is highly likely that an extended period of peace will bring more visitors from more diverse locations.
