The School of Tourism and Hotel Management at the University of Balamand hosted Mr. Raja Abdallah, business consultant, financial advisor and board member of the Lebanon Mountain Trail Association (LMTA), who delivered a lecture titled “Rural Tourism: An Unstoppable Trend. The case of Kfarmechki” on the 12th of October, 2023, at the Jacobo Auditorium (THM) – Main Campus.

Mr. Abdallah’s interest in sustainable development, responsible tourism, waste sorting, recycling, renewable energy, plastic-free packaging as well as nature and the environment integrated seamlessly into his role as a business and financial advisor. His dedication to sustainability established him as a game changer in the field of rural tourism and as an influential educator, actively promoting environmental awareness and facilitating sustainable change.

In his presentation, Mr. Abdallah shed light on the increase in the rural tourism share within the tourism industry in Lebanon. He explained that: “Rural tourism is centered around villages with a low population, often dependent on agriculture as the primary source of income.” He tackled the case of his Hometown, Kfarmechki, a small mountain community in the Rashaya District of the Beqaa Governorate.

The University of Balamand remains committed to fostering insightful discussions and knowledge-sharing opportunities for our students as well as advancing sustainability.



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