The opening of a network of community businesses in the capital to meet the growing demand of the agritourism sector raised the number of local businesses that provide opportunities to women, youth and the most affected citizens to 1,982.

The launch of Ahlan, a chain of restaurants, guesthouses and farmers’ shops, diversifies ventures and encourages the young generation to stay in the country, said Edouard Beidgbeder, UNICEF representative in Lebanon.

According to Beidgbeder, the nation’s crisis requires innovative solutions to build new business models and job options in sectors such as agritourism.

Ahlan will enable an alternative management of sustainable domestic tourism whereby low- to middle-income families can eat at a small-scale rural restaurant, shop for traditional farm products or enjoy a nice getaway at a guesthouse, he stressed.

This network of businesses in Beirut communities will provide more than 150 vulnerable young men and women from across Lebanon with technical and vocational training.

According to a report by the International Labor Organization in January, almost a third of Lebanon’s labor force is unemployed, with the rate increasing from 11.4 percent in 2018-2019 to 29.6 in 2022.

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