Table of Contents

Acknowledgments

It is known that no great work can be accomplished without the union and cooperation of a well-formed team. Therefore, I would like to express my gratitude towards my partners and colleagues in this great community, Hayek Group, for their constant encouragement which helped me complete this report.

First, I would like to express my special appreciation to my mentor, Eng. Abdallah Hayek, for being a strong support during this project. It is with great pleasure that I worked on this report because of your guidance and advice.

Second, I would like to mention Ms. Sara Lee Habchi, for putting efforts in following up on this project, and managing my timetables. Without you, I would not have been able to deliver my work on schedule.

Third, my thanks and appreciations go to my colleague Eng. Maura Azar, who helped me develop this project and willingly assisted me with her research abilities.

I would not want to forget Judge Marwan Abboud, the governor of Beirut, and Mr. Marcelino Hark, the mayor of Batroun Municipality, who took the time to give their input and insights on some important information regarding Batroun. Without your contribution, this report would not be as genuine and real as it is now.

Lastly, I would like to thank copywriter Ms. Rita Camilos for her editing and proofreading skills, which made this report completely understandable and mistake-free.

I cannot say ‘thank you’ enough for this amazing team of motivated people who put their tremendous effort into this work. We were all vital for the success of this project, and I am so grateful that I got the chance to work alongside this team to deliver this report.

CHAPTER 1 - Introduction

1.1 Background

Batroun District (kaza, caza, qadaa, قضاء) is one of six districts in the North Governorate.
Its geographical borders are marked by the river Madfoun from the south, and by the river El Jaouz (Nahr El Jaouz) from the north.
Its area is 278 square kilometers. It is surrounded by El-Koura District from the north, by Baalbek District (Baalbek-Hermel Governorate) from the east, and by Jbeil (Byblos) District (Mount Lebanon Governorate) from the south.

The population of Batroun District is estimated at 51,120 inhabitants (which is equivalent to 1.2% of the total population of Lebanon). Batroun, which is a coastal city, is the administrative capital of the caza, with around 20,000 inhabitants. Many ancient monasteries and churches are scattered all over the coast and mountains of Batroun District, especially in the village of Duma which constitutes a touristic attraction. Batroun District is also known for its Cedar Forest rising on the hills of Tannourine. It consists of 56 cities and towns: The coastal cities are: Batroun, Fadous, Chekka, Koubba, Thoum, Selaata, Hamat, Madfoun.

The higher towns are: Abdelleh, Abrine, Assia, Basbina, Bchaaleh, Beit Chlala, Beit Kassab, Bijdarfil, Billa, Deir Billa, Derya, Douq, Boqsmaya, Chatine, Chabtine, Edde, Ghouma, HadtounHardine, Heri, Ijdabra, Jran, Jrebta, Kandoula, Kfarabida, Kfar Chleymane, Kfar Hatna, Kfar Hay, Kfar Hilda, Kfifane, Kfour Al Arbe, Kour, Mazraat Bani Saab, Nahleh, Rachana, Rachkidda, Ras Nhash, Sghar, Smar Jbeil, Sourat, Toula, Wajh Al Hajar, Wata Hob, Zane, and Ijda Abrine.
The highest villages are: Tannourine El Fawqa, Douma, and Tannourine El Tahta.

1.2 Historical Review

The name ‘Batroun’ derives from the Arabic word ‘al-Batroun’, which derives from the Greek appellation ‘Bothrys’. This name was later Latinized to ‘Botrus’. According to historians, the Greek appellation of the town originates from the Phoenician word, ‘Bater’, which means ‘to cut’. It mainly refers to the maritime wall which was built in the sea by Phoenicians to protect them from tidal waves.

Figure 2: The ancient Phoenician wall in Batroun, Lebanon between 3,300 B.C. to 64 B.C.

Batroun is the “Batruna” mentioned in the Amarna letters dating to the 14th century B.C. It was mentioned by ancient geographers Strabo, Pliny, Ptolemy, Stephanus Byzantius, and Hierocles. Theophanes, who called the city “Bostrys”.
The Phoenicians founded Batroun on the southern side of the promontory, which was called ‘Theoprosopon’ during Antiquity, and ‘Cape Lithoprosopon’ during the Byzantine Empire.

In 551, an earthquake destroyed the city, which also caused mudslides and cracks. It is believed that this earthquake formed the large natural harbor of Batroun.

Figure 3: Harbor of Batroun City

Mseilha Fort, also called “Puy du Connétable”, is one of Batroun City’s landmarks. It is a medieval fortification situated to the north of the town. This fort was built by Emir Fakherddine II in the 17th century, to protect the route from Tripoli to Beirut. The fort is constructed on an extended, narrow limestone rock near Nahr el-Jawz River.
Its walls are constructed with small sandstone blocks quarried from the nearby coast and built onto the sting of the limestone rock. The thickness of the walls ranges from 1.5 to 2 meters (4 to 6.5 feet). The larger limestone blocks are the sole remains of an earlier structure probably built for the identical defensive reason.

Figure 4: Mseilha fort built by Emir Fakherddine II in the 17th century

CHAPTER 2 - Economic Power

2.1 Development Projects

Over the last few years, Batroun District has witnessed a huge growth in relation to development projects with a funding estimated to be around USD 192,307,000. Most notably, the Batroun – Tannourine highway links the city of Batroun to all the villages in the region and finally reaching Tannourine, which is the highest city in the district. In addition, many water projects are taking place, specifically the Mseilha Dam. This dam is 400 meters long, 35 meters high, and has a reservoir of 7,500,000 m3 in volume. Its objective is providing potable water for a portion of the localities in the Cazas of Batroun and Koura, providing water supplies to certain industries in the region, and irrigating agricultural lands located mostly in the North of Nahr El-Jawz with a 1000- hectare exploitable area.

Figure 5: Batroun – Tannourine Highway

Figure 6: Mseilha Dam During Construction Phases

Table 1: Executed projects in Batroun Disctrict in recent years

2.2 Tourism

2.2.1 Religious Tourism

Batroun district is considered a main global attraction for tourists who are interested in historical Roman Catholic or Greek Orthodox churches and monasteries and their outstanding architecture. Some of these churches and monasteries are:

• Miraculous Lady of the Sea Church - Batroun City

This white-washed sandstone church was built in the 19th century, on the ruins of a Byzantine Church. It is located on the seashore near the Phoenician Wall

• St. Estephan Church - Batroun City

Located to the north of the harbor and recognized by its square towers, the stunning St. Estephan’s Cathedral was completed in the early 1900s by the Italian architect Giuseppe Maggiore. Just next to the St. Estephan’s Cathedral stands the beautiful domed 19th century (1867) Orthodox Church of St. George.

Figure 7: Miraculous Lady of the Sea Church & St. Estephan Church

• Covent of Saydet El-Nourieh (Covent of Our Lady of Light) – Hamat

A holy Greek Orthodox monastery, known as Deir El-Nourieh, stands at the top of a cliff overlooking the north coast of Lebanon. This monastery originated in the 17th century and was completed in the 19th century, and ever since, it has been known as an important pilgrimage site. The story behind its name is truly inspiring: it is said that the Virgin Mary appeared to two sailors in the stormy sea and guided them gently with her light to the shore.

• Monastery of Saint Joseph/ Sanctuary of Saint Rafqa – Jrabta

Known as the Monastery of ‘Mar Youssef Al Dahr’ at Jrabta, it is surrounded by ancient trees and lies at the heart of a lonely region recognized for its beauty.
It is here that the Blessed Saint Rafqa is buried. Born on June 19, 1833, she entered the order of Maronite sisters at the age of 39, aspiring to total devotion to God. Her life was based on continuous prayers. She asked to share the passion of the Christ and this grace was accorded to her. She lived 29 years in the presence of God and died a saintly death in 1914 at age 81. Buried in the shaded convent garden, her saintliness was quickly manifested. Her remains were moved to the tomb in the church, which soon became a place of pilgrimage. On November 17, 1985, she was beatified by the Holy See.

• Monastery of Saint Cyprien and Justinian – Kfifane

The Monastery of Saint Cyprien and Justianian is situated in Kfifane village near Batroun. Today, it is a pilgrimage site thanks to the Blessed Nematallah Kassab Al Hardini, who is buried in this modest place. In 1766, the Lebanese Maronite Order transformed the monastery into a seminary dedicated to the study of theology, philosophy, literature, and law. Not only was Father Al Hardini among the students of this seminary, but also Charbel Makhlouf, who was canonized as a saint in 1989.

• Deir Mar Youhanna Maroun (Monastery of Saint John Maroun) - Kfarhay

This monastery is one of the oldest in Lebanon and was built by Saint John Maron, Bishop of Batroun and Mount Lebanon in the year 685. Saint John Maroun used to live on the shore of the Assi River Orontes until he moved to the monastery of Kfarhay in 694. He brought the holy relic of the head of Saint Maron (from Mount Semaan near Hama in Syria) with him and kept it in the church of the monastery and it remained there until 1130. Due to these relics, the monastery was known as “Deir Rish Moran”, which in Syriac translates to “Land of Maron”. St. John Maron, the first Maronite Patriarch, lived in the monastery of Kfarhay until his death in the year 707 and he was buried there, but the location of his tomb was never found. In 1131, a Dominican monk of the congregation of St. Jacob took the saint's relics to Italy, where he built a church after his name. The Maronite Patriarch, Cardinal Mar Nasr Alla Butros Sfeir and Archbishop of Batroun, Youhanna Boulos Saade, put a lot of effort and then succeeded in bringing back the relics of Saint Maroun to Bkirke on the 8th of January 2000. Later, they were moved to Kfarhay. Four other patriarchs succeeded patriarch Yuhanna Maroun and lived in the Monastery of Kfarhay. It was damaged by the Mamelouk, then restored in 1787.

• Churches of Edde: Mar Saba, a small medieval building made of pale stone, still retains fragments of 13th century wall paintings. These include Saint Gorge and Saint Demetrios on horseback and a crucifixion scene. The church of Mar Mema, dedicated to Saint Mamas, is more modern-like although it was built with antique elements.


• The church of Mar Nohra – Smar Jbeil: The old church of Mar (Saint) Nohra is said to hold the tomb of this Christian missionary from Persia. The church is constructed with mixed elements from a Roman temple and some other modern material, notably from medieval times.


• Churches of Hardine: There are around thirty monasteries, churches, and hermitages. Here is a list of some of the most important ones: The monastery of Saint John El-Chaqf, the Monastery of Saint Stephan, the Monastery of Saint Sarkius (Sergins) el-Qarm (patriarchal seat), the Monastery of Saint Richa (in which lived many bishops, amongst them 11 are now known), the Monastery of Saint Fauqa; the church of Saints Sarkis (Sergius) and Bacchus (carved into the rock, and goes by the name “Church of Baptism”, in reference to the baptistery in which Saint Neemtallah Hardini was baptized and is still preserved), the Church of Saint Challita, The Church of Saint Nohra, The Church of Saint Elias, etc…


• The Churches of Tannourine: Tannourine holds many churches and hermitages carved into the rock dating from the Middle Ages, including: the church of Notre Dame, Saint Challita church, the chapel and hermitage of Saint Jean, and the hermitage Saints Sarkis and Bakhos (Sergius and Bacchus).

• In addition to the previously mentioned churches and monasteries, there are many more all over the district, such as Saint Joseph Church, Sainte Rita Church in Batroun city, and the old Saint Charbel Church in Ebrine …

2.2.2 Activities, Landmarks, Clubs and Restaurants

In addition to being a religious touristic spot, Batroun District is a destination targeting tourists who are interested in historical landmarks, amazing views, clubbing, food, wine, beer and of course lemonade.

• Batroun City is a major sea attraction with a vibrant nightlife that includes pubs and nightclubs.

Figure 12: Pierre and Friends Resto-Pub

Figure 13: Odd Rooftop Nightclub

• Ever since the 20th century, citrus groves surrounded Batroun, making the town famous for its fresh lemonade sold in cafés and restaurants

Figure 14: Hilmi’s Lemonade

• In 2009, the Batroun International Festival was launched. It started hosting leading local and international artists. The festival usually takes place in July and/or August of each year in the old harbor area

Figure 15: Batroun International Festival

• Batroun District is the home for many activities.
• Hiking in the Tannourine Cedar Forest: Tannourine Nature Reserve lies in a splendidly beautiful area and protects one of the largest and densest cedar forests in Lebanon
• Hiking at Baloua Balaa: The Balaa gorge sinkhole is a waterfall in Tannourine, Lebanon. The waterfall drops 255 meters into the Balaa Pothole, a cave of Jurassic limestone located on the Lebanon mountain trail.


• Hiking at Mseilha Walkway: It is a famous 12-kilometer hiking trail


• Scuba diving at Batroun City: Batroun is an ideal spot for scuba diving thanks to the clear waters that touch its shore. The most scuba diving clubs in Batroun are: The Dive the Med Club, and Deep-Sea Diving Center.


• Surfing and wind surfing at Batroun Coastal cities


• Biking along the Batroun coastline: It is also a major activity especially during late summer days.


• Fishing in Batroun city at the Phoenician fishing port.

• The Phoenician Castle: The 9th century B.C. Phoenician citadel was built by Ittobaal, king of Tyre, (approx. 887-856 B.C.) as a fortification to impede the advancement of the Assyrian armies. It is the oldest surviving vestige of a building in the town.
• Batroun City Old Souks: Situated in the northern part of the old town, the restored sandstone 19th -century souks are still in use. Just next to the St. Estephan’s Cathedral is the domed 19th century (1867) Orthodox Church of St. George.
• The Pond of the King’s Daughter: This historic shipyard is where the Phoenician Princess used to bathe. It is directly facing the Phoenician wall.
• The Roman Theater: This theater was a sign of Roman economic wealth and power during the period of Roman reign. It was the main public gathering space in the area and has currently become a backyard theater for a photography studio.
• Douma Old Souks: This souk consists of 125 shops, including the ‘Doumanian Mouneh’ stores that sell thyme (or ‘zaatar’), olive oil, soap, and pickled cucumbers. In addition, they're well known for their “raha” and cultural museums.
• Douma’s Cinema: This old cinema opened in 1951, and it was a popular hangout spot back then. Many great films were screened there, such as ‘Antar & Abla’.

Figure 20: Phoenician Castle from the 9th Century BC

Figure 21: Old Souks from the 19th Century

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2.2.3 Honorable Quotes

In an interview with the governor of Beirut who’s originally from Douma, Batroun, Judge Marwan Abboud, he states:
“Batroun District is the district of greeneries in Lebanon; it is still kind of a ‘virgin’ from an environmental and constructional point of view. It mainly consists of small villages, remarkably known for their old houses’ architecture. Batroun has always maintained its heritage and legacy for thousands of years. Batrounese are known for their kindness, generosity, and welleducational background. No political nor armed fights have ever happened within the premises of the city, as the district is one of the safest places in Lebanon. All the criteria prove that Batroun has a bright future, especially that there are still many areas that are yet to be discovered. We also can’t but mention how unique, beautiful, and historical the district is, with its wide selection of historical monasteries and churches.” He ended his declaration with this heart-warming statement: “Batroun is the only remaining district which truly represents the ‘Lebanon’ that we have always loved.”

In another interview with Mr. Marcelino Hark, the mayor of Batroun, he mentions the most outstanding feature that the city complies: “Batroun City is most famous for its infrastructure, especially the wastewater system which is a project that started in 2002. This project made Batroun the only city on the coast of Lebanon with 0% contaminated effluent discharged into the sea.” He says: “Batroun is known by its unique Old Souk built fully with sandstone. Batroun’s area is approximately 7,000,000 m², and is mostly dependent on tourism, due to the many beach resorts and hotels that offer luxury and a taste of the city’s community.” He states that the Batroun Project was launched in 1998, and its main goal was to improve the city’s infrastructure to provide an environmentally friendly destination for its citizens and its visitors.

CHAPTER 3 - Oil and Gas Sector

3.1 Lebanon’s Oil and Gas Sector

The first question that comes to mind is: Does Lebanon have oil and gas?

First, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) report, which was conducted in March 2010, the Eastern Mediterranean Region has a high potential of having oil and gas. As estimated, 1.7 billion barrels of recoverable oil may be found in the Levant Basin province and 122 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.

Therefore, being a part of the province, Lebanon’s estimated riches are 25 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.

Figure 26: Levant Basin Province

3.2 Blocks 4 & 9

In 2018, an international consortium led by Total (Total 40%, ENI 40%, Novatek 20%) and the Lebanese government have signed two exploration and production agreements, covering Blocks 4 and 9 located offshore Lebanon, in the eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea. These agreements lay down the drilling of at least one well per block in the first three years.

Figure 27: Lebanon’s Oil Blocks

On May 8, 2020, the Right Holder Operator completed the drilling campaign of the first exploration well ‘Byblos 16/1’ in Block 4 to a total depth of 4,076 meters from sea level, in water depths of approximately 1,500 meters.

Drilling activities in Block 4 started with the arrival of the Tungsten Explorer drillship on February 25, 2020. The well crossed the entire Oligo-Miocene target section, which was the main target of this exploration well, and it provided valuable information to be used in the further evaluation of the hydrocarbon potential offshore Lebanon. Traces of gas were found indicating the presence of a hydrocarbon system.

Based on the Probability of Success (POS), hitting a discovery from the first exploration well is less than 30%. Given this context, the exploration well represents a big step forward for Lebanon, which emphasizes Lebanon’s dedication to developing its promising offshore petroleum sector for the benefit of upcoming generations. Not to mention the threats and risks that the oil and gas sector holds, which is why continued efforts will be made to achieve the sector’s long-term goal.

In the coming period, The LPA will cooperate with public institutions and related stakeholders, including the Right Holder Operator, to conduct explorations in Lebanese waters. During the first exploration phase, the LPA will complete the preparatory tasks required to complete the drilling of the exploration well in Block 9 as stipulated in the Exploration and Production Agreement and in the Exploration Plan.

3.3 Block 4’s Current Status

Even though Lebanon’s first-ever exploration well, the Byblos-1 in Block 04 was dry, there is hope that further wells will show glimpses of oil, knowing that The Levantine Basin in the Eastern Mediterranean had produced some fantastic discoveries earlier, especially in the early days of the exploration – early 2010s – when Israel’s Leviathan and Egypt’s Zohr significantly boosted their respective economies.

CHAPTER 4 - Real Estate Study

4.1 Lebanon’s Real Estate History

The Lebanese property market is on the rise during these current circumstances. However, it was not the case a few years earlier as the industry faced many ups and downs.

The truth is, the stimulus of the influx of Gulf money in 2008-2010 still haunts the market. House prices in several areas of Lebanon doubled between 2008 and 2012, after the oil price surge. Now those high prices seem to be at risk.

Chart 1: Annual Property Price Change in % between 2009 and 2019

In 2018, demand sharply dropped. The number and value of property sales in Lebanon fell by 17.4% and 18.3%, respectively. In fact, sales to foreigners also dropped 11% in 2018 from a year earlier – an indication of declining interest from foreign homebuyers.

“Lebanon’s real estate market has witnessed a further slump this year in all its components, with overall demand decelerating in recent months in the currently prevailing regional and domestic environment,” said Bank Audi in 2018, and the construction activity remains down till now.

4.1.1 A History of Price Rises

The Lebanese property market witnessed average annual price rises of 18% (13% inflationadjusted) from 2009 to 2013, including a staggering 48.4% increase in 2009, before slowing sharply due to the regional political turmoil.

After falling by 12.3% (-11.7 inflation-adjusted) in 2014, property prices rose by an average of only 2% annually from 2015 to 2018. In fact, when adjusted for inflation, prices have been static in the past four years.

In 2018, property prices fell by 3.7% (-7.4% inflation-adjusted) from a year earlier

Table 2: Annual House Price Change

4.1.2 Property Sales Transactions

The number of property sales in Lebanon fell by 17.4% y-o-y to 60,714 units in 2018, according to the Directorate of Land Registry and Cadastre, and the value of property sales transactions dropped by 18.3% y-o-y to USD 8.13 billion.
North Lebanon recorded the biggest sales decline of 31.7% during 2018, followed by Baabda (- 22.4%) and Metn (-22.1%), according to Bank Audi.

Chart 2: Real Estate Transactions between 2003 and 2018

4.1.3 Foreign Demand

Sales to foreigners fell by 11% to 1,214 transactions in 2018 from a year earlier – an indication of their declined interest in purchasing Lebanese property in the middle of a tough regional and domestic environment.

Chart 3: Foreigners Real Estate Transactions in a period of 10 years

Foreign homebuyers represented about 2% of total property transactions in 2018, a slightly bigger share of the market compared to the 1.85% in 2017 and 1.75% in 2016.

4.1.4 Lebanon’s Sluggish Economy

The economy expanded by a miniscule percentage of 0.25% in 2018, from y-o-y growth of 0.55% in 2017, 1.6% in 2016 and 0.4% in 2015. Prior to that, the economy had been growing by an annual average of 2.4% for three years, with annual GDP growth of 2.7% in 2012, 2.6% in 2013 and 1.9% in 2014, according to the IMF.
Yet today, this industry has significantly grown as more people now prefer investing in this domain, which is the best solution for them to release their savings from banks which are offering 0% interests since 2020.

4.2 Market Analysis in Batroun District

Batroun district has seen many development projects, which is obvious because of its infrastructure and tendency to become an eco-friendly touristic and investment hub. These factors have also reflected on the district’s property prices that significantly increased in the last 10 years.
Being established as one of the best touristic destinations in Lebanon, Batroun district has seen a huge growth in the construction industry which is shown in the graphs below.

Chart 4: New Building Licenses in Batroun District between 2009 and 2020

Chart 5: New Building Licenses in Batroun District between 2009 and 2020

Chart 6: Execution Order in Batroun District between 2009 and 2019

Chart 7: Execution Order in Batroun District between 2009 and 2019

These graphs show a huge downfall in new housing permits and execution orders since the year 2018 which is related to many factors.

• First, housing loans dropped to 0% in 2018. These housing loans have played a major role in the growth of the construction industry. In Lebanon, buyers have traditionally paid cash, or benefited from pre-selling schemes. But in the mid-2000s, an increasing number of banks offered mortgage loans directly to homebuyers, thus the Lebanese mortgage market grew rapidly from just 5.6% of the GDP between 2004 and 2009, to 24.4% of the GDP in 2017.

Chart 8: Housing loans from 2004 till 2017

In January 2019, ‘Banque du Liban’ allocated LBP 790 billion (USD 522.5 million) for subsidized housing loans, after they have been suspended in July 2018. An amount of LBP 490 billion (USD 324.1 million) from the total amount was allocated to those who previously received approval for these loans before the program was suspended.

• Second, a huge devaluation of the Lebanese pound worth happened with the start of the Lebanese revolution and the outbreak of COVID-19, which led to many issues because of the constantly changing exchange rate between LBP and USD. While all construction activities are mainly paid in fresh USD, and most Lebanese investors’ money are stuck in banks, it now seems almost impossible to start a new construction project with the price’s inflation and the decrease in demand.

The previously mentioned factors have somehow also helped in the increase of the sales operations in Lebanon, as more people are looking to free their money from banks through investing in the real estate industry. This increase has also been reflected on Batroun district’s property sales as shown in the graph below.

Chart 9: Sales Operations in Batroun District between 2010 and 2020

4.3 SWOT Analysis

As SWOT analysis is a great assessment tool that shows all points of strength and weakness, opportunities and threats, here are all the points that can be mentioned.

Strengths

• Location
• Located in the North of Lebanon.
• Elevated from the coast to the mountains where different civilizations have lived for millions of years.
• An amazing environment.

• Quality and uniqueness
• Hundreds of churches and monasteries
• Multiple nightclubs and restaurants.
• A hub for marine activities lovers.
• A Touristic destination for foreigners.
• A developed infrastructure.

Opportunity

• An increase in demand for properties in the region.
• Money stuck in banks.
• An eco-friendly perspective.
• An investors’ hub.
• An oil and gas sector.
• A hub for Lebanese tourists especially, with the fly restrictions nowadays.
• A decrease in prices for foreigners with the collapse of the Lebanese pound.

Weaknesses

• A high inflation in prices.
• Money stuck in banks.
• An eco-friendly perspective.

Threats

• The outbreak of COVID-19.
• Political interventions.

CHAPTER 5 - Conclusion

Lebanon has been through many ups and downs throughout the years, yet Batroun was and will always be an economic powerhouse. Having lived in Batroun for over 24 years, I was always fascinated by the vision of the district’s leaders; their main aim was to make Batroun a unique and remarkable city. Today, this district is known as a main Lebanese point of attraction. Next to the many neighboring districts all around, Batroun really stands out for being the most welcoming, most environmentally friendly, and most safe. Being in this district makes people feel secure and away from all the troubles that are haunting the country. During these difficult times, being in Batroun is like being away on a vacation. As previously mentioned, it is a district that specializes in all types of tourism, not to mention the wide selection of the most traditional and spiritual monasteries and churches that make their visitors filled with hope and peace. The Batrounese’s friendly spirit attracts people and is extremely contagious, which is why Batroun lands constantly witness a huge flow of tourists from all over Lebanon, coming in to explore the city’s history and culture, and they all feel attached to the city and decide to stay in for weeks. Not to mention that, on a daily basis, foreign tourists roam around in the streets of Batroun and sit in every corner of the old souk. It is indeed a district of pure beauty and attraction.

On another note, as Block 4 extends from Beirut to Tripoli shores, Batroun has a strategic location and will play a huge role in this field, in the coming years. Today, Batroun is considered a destination for foreigners around the world. Therefore, in the future, when Lebanon starts extracting oil from the sea, foreign experts and international companies will start searching for an environment where diversity is accepted, and for a virgin area to centralize their businesses in. In their search for the mentioned city, they will have two options, either Batroun or Jbeil. Yet, Batroun does have an additional point of attraction, which is the real estate prices in the region. This will put Batroun at the top of the list for international investors, who are willing to invest in offices in the city, making it the headquarter of their businesses. Batroun will be considered a business hub since it is a growing city. It is also an attraction for the banking sector, which qualifies the city to be a base for foreign companies. So, the future looks bright for this hopeful district, and hopefully soon with the development of the oil and gas sector and the decrease of aircraft restrictions, Batroun will be the number one district in the country.

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