The Lebanese website, Discover Lebanon, features Lake Bnechaai with a panoramic 360 degree view of the lake in its latest edition. It can be viewed here.

In 2005, zgharta.com, co-operated with the site to write the narrative for Ehden, which is illustrated by three panoramic views of Ehden and Al Midan. The page can be viewed here.

The North Lebanon newspaper, Attamaddon, writes in their latest edition that Salam Zgharta was unsuccessful in its negotiations to bring back last season's goalkeeper, Georges Sadek. It was reported that Georges wanted to remain in Algeria.

The newspaper said that many considered him to be among the best goalkeeper in North Lebanon and that this is a blow to the team's aspirations to return to 1st Division football next season. The photograph of Georges was taken in April 2005.

In their Lebanon Cup match on Monday, against Akhaa Ahli, Salam Zgharta were unfortunate to lose 3-2. Salam's goals were by Mehsen Nassif and Francois Kharma. A third goal was disallowed and Sayed Bassim was sent off.

The standings in the North Lebanon section of the 2nd Division after six games are:

1. Nahda Birr Elias with18 points - goal difference +17
2. Mawadda Tripoli with 12 points - goal difference +5
3. Salam Zgharta with11 points - goal difference +7
4. Mahaba Tripoli with 6 points - goal difference -9
5. Ijtimaii Tripoli with 5 points - goal difference -3
6. Akhaa Ahli with 4 points - goal difference -7
7. Homentmen with 4 points - goal difference -10

Salam's player, Wehbeh Doueihi, is second in the player's standings for goals with 5 goals, two goals behind the leader.

The Lebanon Mountain Trail is getting to be known outside Lebanon, thanks to the internet and its apparent marketing strategy.

In today's edition of England's leading newspaper, The Times, it features the Trail. Although not mentioning the Ehden section of the Trail, it does however does mention its own website, www.lebanontrail.org where it mentions Ehden.

As a result of surfing the Trail's website and its list of recommended eco-tour operators, we learnt that, Blue Carrot Adveture Club are organising a 5 hour guided hike from the Horsh Ehden Nature Reserve to the village of Meziara, lead by authorised tourist and hiking guide, on Sunday, 2nd December 2007.

This shows that Ehden's own marketing strategy needs to ultilise the internet itself and not only rely on others to do it for them. It would have been nice to find a link to Ehden's own tourist website !

The, Charge d’Affaires of the Embassy of Italy in Lebanon, Roberto Cantone, has written a book called, "Cross Country Skiing in Lebanon", which includes the Horsh Ehden as one its recommended 27 ski route destinations. He says that he knew of the big ski resorts in Lebanon, but wanted to discover Lebanon's other nature areas including Horsh Ehden. Of the Reserve he says that, "When you know places like the forest of Horsh Ehden, we understand the importance of preserving all this. You really have something very precious that we should preserve."

The book is formed into parts - one on the background of Lebanon - geography, climate, ecology, environment, flora ,fauna and what equipment is needed to cross country ski. The other part contains information on the routes - time to be taken, level of difficulty and so on. He took aerial photographs of the routes. The book is accompanied by a CD.

The Lebanese French language newspaper, L'Orient Le Jour, features the author and his book in today's edition which can be read on the Full Story page.
Full Story

Snow came to Ehden briefly on Wednesday.

The photograph was taken by, Photo Rodrigue 2, of Nawahir (Water Source) some 10 kilometres from Ehden, on Wednesday, 21st November 2007.

The Lebanese newspaper, Al Anwar, of today, 22nd November 2007, carries the report by Robert Frangieh of the commemoration at the College De La Salle, Kfaryachit, for those menbers of the Lebanese Armed Forces and Red Cross who lost their lives at Nahr Al Bared.

The report can be read from this link

The Lebanese English language newspaper, The Daiy Star has reported on Kfaryachit's,"Olive Oil Celebration", held on Saturday, which we mention last week the village was hosting. Those attending also visited the village of Bchininne.

The article can be read on the Full Story page.
Full Story

The online news website Gulfnews reported on the importance of a country's diaspora for it's tourism industry. The report is below.

DIASPORAS EMERGING AS IMPORTANT TOURISM DRIVERS

Diaspora tourism is being seen as a fast-growing segment in the travel business and many tourism promotion agencies are encouraging their countrymen abroad to rediscover attractions back home.

For countries such as Lebanon, Iran, India and Turkey diaspora tourism holds big promises. For example, there are more Lebanese living outside Lebanon in it.

Mona Haddad Fares, director of the Lebanese government’s tourism promotion department, estimates the number of foreign-based Lebanese and people of Lebanese origin to be close to 20 million.

"We are conscious of their importance. We have been planning a television advertising campaign to encourage them to visit Lebanon for holidays," Fares said.

Lebanon’s current population is put at less than five million.

The diaspora segment is seen as crucial for local tourism as foreign visitors.

The video is of Fairuz singing, Sanarjaou Yawman, which was written by the Rahbani Brothers, addressed to all those people who live away from their homeland.

The eco-tourism division,CYCLAMEN of the Lebanese travel company, TLB, have organised an, "Olive Oil Celebration" at the village of Kfaryachit, on Saturday, 17th November 2007.

The Press Release of the event says,

“An Olive Oil Celebration”

The local olive oil industry began centuries ago in Lebanon and has grown steadily in the past decade. Many of the oils produced are robust, full-bodied affairs, the flavors enhanced by our Mediterranean climate. The end of November is a very important period for the olive harvest, and we invite you to celebrate this season with us. Join us for a journey into the heart of Lebanon's northern olive growing regions, characterized by a landscape blanketed with olive groves.

Upon arrival visitors can wander through the olive groves and observe the olive harvest with a guide. The local mills participating in this festival will give visitors the opportunity to observe pressing traditions. There will be opportunity to purchase freshly pressed oil and attend a tasting demonstration given by a professional taster. A local saj maker will be onsite to sell manouche ; snacks and beverages are also available in the village.

Where: Zgarta, North Lebanon
When: Saturday, November 17th 2007.
Organizer info: Cyclamen, member of CIFA .
For more information Tel.: 04 419 848 Email: cyclamen@tlb-destinations.com

The Ministry of Tourism says that the event was made possible due to the sponsors: Social and Cultural Development Association (Inma), SRI International, USAID, Y&C and itself. The village is some six kilometres from Zgharta, 252 kilometres above sealevel.

The Collége De La Salle, located in Kfaryachit, is holding for the second time, this Saturday, its Annual French Language Contest, based on the history of France. This year the topic is Napoloen. There will be three prizes.

Today, Thursday 8th November 2007, a new interactive mapping website www.lebanonmaps.net was launched in Lebanon.

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funded the website's development and its press release explained that it was a tool for promoting rural touriam in Lebanon. It went onto say,

"It is a public interactive Internet-based application built on a comprehensive tourism database of more than 12,000 points of interest plotted by SRI and INMA on satellite maps and supported by a powerful routing engine. Travelers will be able to ask questions about specific attractions, locate these on a map, and receive customized itineraries. The system provides comprehensive coverage of the country with tourism-focused interactive maps."

The development of the website was done in partnership with SRI International, the Social and Cultural Development Association (INMA) and ArabiaGIS Company.

Despite reports of empty rooms in Beirut's 5 star hotels, tour operatives are tapping into Lebanon's new eco tourist market, benefiting the non-metropolitan areas in Lebanon, such as Ehden.

One such company is Liban Trek, founded in 1997, who claim to be the first ecotourism company in Lebanon. In recent weeks they have organised day trips to Ehden and a two day trek along the Lebanese Mountain Trail between Ehden and Bacharreh.

The company website is www.libantrek.com

What is of note is that the opening last year of the Lebanon Mountain Trail has been beneficial to Ehden.

On Thursday, 25th October 2007, the Lebanese Ministry of Tourism held a press launch for a new initiative to attract tourists to Lebanon, by making use of the internet for E- Tourism.

Although Lebanon's tourism industry is subject to the vagaries of events outside its control, it is important that those in the industry are prepared and able to promote themselves when times are good. This applies to Ehden's tourist industry, especially eco-tourism, and it is hoped that the Union of Zgharta Zawie Municipal Councils ensures that Ehden and its attractions are included online under the initiative.

It has always been zgharta.com view that there should be a one dedicated organisation - say a tourist office with its own website - in Zgharta Zawie for the promotion of tourism, bringing together under one umbrella all interested parties - hotels, restaurants & cafés, nightclubs, the Horsh Ehden Nature Reserve, the two dioceses and tour & adventure organisers.

The organisers of the initiative, International Executive Service Corps (IESC), issued a Press Release, which can be read on the Full Story page.
Full Story

The Tripoli based weekly newspaper, Attamaddon which reports North Lebanon's news, has published in its current edition an article on the propose development , Ehden Mountain Destination:“Kroum”, - by its writer Roy Araigi.

The article can be read from this PDF link. We have put a Google English translation of the article on the Full Story page

Full Story

The Lebanese national newspaper, Al Anwar edition of Sunday, 26th August 2007, features an article by Robert Frangieh on the Ehden Mountain Destination:“Kroum.” project by Optimum Developments.

To read the article in PDF format click here .

On Friday, 17th August 2007, Optimum Developments, the developers of Ehden Mountain Destination:“Kroum” continued their promotion of the project, with the first day of their exposition reserve for invited guests representing the local community, the tourism industry, the commercial sector and media.

It was held in the evening at the Belmont Hotel, Ehden and guests were formally welcomed by the Company's Press Attaché, Mehsen Yammine. He introduced, Mr. Gaby Tayoun, Group President of Optimum Holdings; Mr. Ghassan Tayoun, President of Europtima; Mr. Sarkis Khawaja, Head of Design; Dana Nasr,Environmental Eng ,of Earth Link & Advanced Resources Development (ELARD).

Continuing the project's underlining concept and design of tradition, locally produced and handmade "le luxe de l’authentique”, food was served. The general consensus of those attending was that the presentation was professional and informative providing a balance viewpoint of the project and that the reaction to the project was favorable.

From Monday, 20th August 2007 the Exposition moves to the Koubra, Ehden,when it is open to the public from 4 p.m. to 8p.m every day

In the past few days the Horsh Ehden Nature Reserve has been busy with visitor parties.

The first was on Thursday, 16th August 2007, when the Zgharta Ehden Municipal Council hosted a trip to the Reserve for overseas visitors to Ehden.

On Friday, 17th August 2007, the Reserve received members of the René Moawad Foundation on an outing to the nature reserve.

As part of the Ehden Kibbeh Festival this weekend there is a hike on Saturday, 18th August 2007, to the Horsh Ehden, organised by the Lebanon Mountain Trail.

Last night, Monday 13th August 2007, Optimum Developments, the developers of Ehden Mountain Destination:“Kroum” hosted an informal dinner, to provide background information on the project, for members of the Lebanese media, including our co-founder Rodrigue Dahdah, at the Belmont Hotel, Ehden.

Present for the developers were directors,Gaby and Ghassan Tayoun; Architect ,Sarkis Khawaja; and Media Consultant,Mehsen Yammine. Those attending from the media included: Farid Bou Francis, Al Akhbar; Mehsen Sakkal, ANB TV; Robert Frangieh, Al Anwar; Najib Escandar, An Nahar; Toni Jibrael Frangieh, An Nahar & L’Orient de Jour; Marcel al Terrice, Asharq Alawsat;Hasna Saade,Assafir; Mirna Bechara, Yanabigh Magazine.

During the dinner the directors, Gaby and Ghassan Tayoun, spoke about Kroum, explaining that environmental issues were paramount in its planning and that it would comply with international standards as well as recognizing the location's heritage. They also touched upon the importance of the long awaited proposed Ehden 3000 Eco Ski Resort, which will become an integral part of Kroum, once formal approval by the Zgharta Ehden Municipal Council is given for the resort. Both projects will give Ehden the ability to have an all year round tourist season.

The guests were all invited to the exposition to be held at the hotel on Friday, 17th August 2007, which we reported on earlier.

The developer, Optimum Developments, is holding an exposition for the first stage of their development, Ehden Mountain Destination:“Kroum” - which will be based on a traditional Lebanese village, with accommodation, shops and khans, built around a network of pedestrian alleys and plazas together with a 120 room luxury hotel and residential promenade of 60 chalets and artist's studios.

The first day of the exposition, Friday 17th, August 2007, will be held at the Belmont Hotel, Ehden, for invited guests representing the local community, the tourism industry, the commercial sector and media. From Monday, 20th August 2007, the exposition will be open to the public at the Koubra, Ehden, from 4 p.m. to 8p.m every day.

Visitors and guests will be able to see a PowerPoint presentation of the project, as well as plans, layouts and photographic representations of the project, together with factsheets. During the exposition there will be in attendance representatives of the Company to answer questions. As the Company is keen to have feedback on the project there will be provision for visitor's comments to be left for their consideration.

It is planned that the construction work for the project will commence in Autumn 2007, with completion envisaged for Summer 2009. As the project progresses there will be further expositions for the public, so that they are kept directly informed and towards completion, to be able to register their interest in taking up chalets or business outlets. The timing of the first exposition has been chosen to enable overseas visitors to gain for themselves a firsthand impression of the project.

You can learn more about the development by visiting the project's website, which can be accessed through the home page advertisement - www.kroumehden.com

 
 

The Zgharta Ehden Municipal Council will be for the second year hosting a trip to the Horsh Ehden on Thursday, 16th August 2006 for overseas visitors. It is unclear if the trip is by invitation only. The day will include lunch at the Ehden Country Club, the showing of a film on Ehden and a performance of dabkeh.

For further information contact the Council at 06-66 02 48 or 06 59 01 89. Photograph courtesy of Karim Rizk El-Koussa.

As we are already into the month of August it seems that there will be no Summer Ehdeniyat this year. It is a pity that there will be no collective civic event this summer which the whole local community can participate.

There are mix reports about Ehden's summer season this year. It seems that the week is divided between very busy weekends, where hotels and restaurants are full, to the point that you need to make an advanced reservation, to quiet weekdays with few people. What is marked however is the absence of overseas visitor's in particular from Australia and Venezuela. Some have postponed trips until the situation in nearby Tripoli is resolved. It is hoped that by August more people will have come.

The Lebanese pharmaceutical company, Droguerie Phoenicia, has agreed with the Zgharta Ehden Municipal Council, to take over the care of the cedars, which the company sponsored two years ago.

Some 2000 cedars were planted on the edge of the Horsh Ehden Nature Reserve and the source of the Mar Sarkis spring. As the agreement with the earlier contractor, Kouroum s.a.r.l., had recently come to an end, Droguerie Phoenicia, agreed to take over the cost of the care of the trees, including watering and weeding during the summer months.

For the sake of clarification the cedars were not planted in the Horsh Ehden Nature Reserve itself. New planting is not permitted so as not to interfere with the Reserve's own unique ecosystem and rich biodiversity. Within the Reserve itself there can be seen natural regeneration of all types of trees, which is considered a healthy sign for the Reserve's future.

The developers, Optimum Developments, of the land owned by the Mar Sarkis Monastery, have now published their brochure for the project called Kroum. In view of the interest the new development has attracted within the community, the Company has permitted us to put it online so that our readers can see for themselves the propose development.
 
The brochure in PDF format can be downloaded from this link.
 

It seems these days that the Lebanese newspapers are in love Ehden, as we are always being featured. This time it's the turn of, As Safir, who focuses on Ehden as a tourist attraction, in today's eddtion, 10th May 2007.

The article mentions that the Municipal Council of Zgharta Ehden is preparing for the summer season, making sure that visitors will enjoy their visit. It also talks about the propose Mar Sarkis developments.

It also mentions that although there are more cafés and restaurants in evidence, some businesses are wary, due to the political situation, to commit themselves employing new staff.

To read the article in PDF format (Arabic) can be read from this link.

Let hope these kind of articles keep coming.

The developers, Optimum Developments, have prepared a brochure for their new mixed use project in Ehden, Kroum: "Le Luxe de l’Authentique.” It will cover some 13 hectares consisting of residences, shops, medical spa and hotel in a Lebanese village atmosphere, reflecting its surroundings.
 

 It is envisage that on the creation of the Ehden ski resort, it will be connected to Ehden through a cable car at Kroum. The ski resort will cover 40,000,000 square metres and will be car-free accessed solely by the cable car.
 

 A second development, Les Parcs d’Ehden is planned on a raised plateau to the North West of Ehden. The Company says it will consist of an eco village, hill lakeside cabanas and family dwellings, with a small convention centre.

The brouchure will be formally launch soon.