BEIRUT, Feb. 13 (Xinhua) -- The Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon announced on Wednesday that Saudi Arabia will lift the travel warning against Lebanon given improved security in the country, the National News Agency (NNA) reported.
"We decided to lift the travel warning against Lebanon after receiving assurances over the security in the country," said Walid al-Bukhari after his meeting with Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri.
Saudi Arabia, among other Gulf countries, issued a travel warning against Lebanon in February 2016 citing the instability of the country affected by the Syrian war.
The travel warning came after Lebanon voted against an Arab League's call to designate Hezbollah as a terrorist organization as well as the suspension of Syria's membership in the Arab bloc.
The warning was renewed in November 2017 amid a Lebanese-Saudi crisis sparked by a controversial resignation announcement by Hariri during his visit to Riyadh, capital of Saudi Arabia. Hariri rescinded his resignation soon afterwards.
Pierre Ashkar, president of the Syndicate of Hotel Owners in Lebanon, told Xinhua that a senior official from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will also visit Lebanon in a month to announce the UAE's decision to lift its travel warning against Lebanon.
Ashkar said he expects tourism to increase following the key decision.
"We are very optimistic because our revenues will increase since Saudi tourists stay longer in Lebanon compared to tourists from other countries. They also ask for bigger hotel rooms," he explained. Enditem
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