São Paulo – In next month’s second half, a group of 75 Brazilians will arrive in Lebanon to get to know their origins from up close, as part of the “I Love Lebanon” tour. The initiative is in its fifth edition and has taken a significant number of Brazilians, mostly of Lebanese origin, to visit the Arab country (the picture above is from the last trip). Travellers will be accepted until July 5 or as long as openings are available.
“I believe this is the largest group of Brazilians, most of Lebanese origins, to travel together and for so many days,” says Luciano Aschkar, founder of the “I Love Lebanon” group and owner of Líbano Tour Agência de Viagens, the travel agency which is organizing the trip. It will last ten days, with tours being made on two buses with a Portuguese-speaking guide. Takeoff from Brazil is scheduled for July 15 and the return is on July 31.
The group will go to Lebanon tourist attractions but also attend some special events, such as a lecture by Brazilian writer and researcher Roberto Khatlab, who’s the director of the Latin America Studies and Cultural Center (LASCC) of the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (USEK), on July 23. There will also be a dinner with musical performances and typical dances, on July 29, in Bikfaya.
In the schedule there are, for instance, visits to the Roman ruins in Baalbek, to the Saidat Haula Mosque, to the Zahle Cultural and Gastronomic Center, to the monument of Our Lady of Najat, to the Ksara vineyard, to the Beiteddine Palace, to the Qaraoun Lake, to the Sidon Soap Museum, to the Sidon Sea Castle, to the National Museum, to the Saint George Cathedral, to the Zaitunay Bay, to the Museum of poet Gibran Khalil Gibran, to the Wax Museum, to the Jeita Grotto and a walk through cedars.
It’s an extensive schedule that includes religious sites, such as important places for the history of Christianity and famous churches, and historical sites, shopping destinations, natural sites and restaurants. On some days, tourists will be free to choose what to do and see.
The group will stay at the Coral Beach – a five-star resort hotel in the capital Beirut. The price of the tour is USD 1,980 per person when travelling in couples, and USD 2,850 for people travelling alone. The price includes lodging and breakfast, the tours, transportation and a celebration dinner. It doesn’t cover air tickets.
The tour is called “I Love Lebanon” because it was created by the namesake online group, which has about 30,000 followers in its social media accounts. It was created seven years ago to promote Lebanon and its many features. “It grew so quickly and continues to grow every day,” said Aschkar about the online group.
Besides exchanging information and contacts online, the group has held meetings in many Brazilian cities, such as São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Campos de Goytacazes, São José do Rio Preto, Uberlândia, Santos and São Roque, gathering around 250 people each time.
Aschkar says that the idea for the tours came to be soon after the creation of the “I Love Lebanon” group. In 2013, they organized the first trip to the country, with 20 people. In last year’s edition, the number had increased to 67 people.
The group’s founder, who is an attorney, currently manages the group with other people from the Lebanese community in Brazil, such as business owners Aly Abou Saleh and Rosana Issa El Baba, the tourist expert Gianna Banat, the doctor Raja Aref Reda, the retailers Salheh Youssef Kader and Salah Mohamad Ali and the pharmacist Leila Ataya.
Quick info:
5th edition of I Love Lebanon group tour
From July 15 to 31, 2018
From Brazil to Lebanon
Find out more and join the trip:
Email: libanotour@hotmail.com
WhatsApp: 55 17 997 35 5556
Translated by Sérgio Kakitani
