History

1946-1970

  • Active collaboration with the members of parliament to set up tourism laws, which are still in place today

1962-1978

  • Creation of the Federation of Tourism Syndicates
  • Participation in the creation of the Social Security
  • Launch of the Gastronomy Festival at the Casino du Liban, 1963 & 1965
  • Participation in the organization of the Food Festival at the Damascus Fair in 1965
  • Joining the International Hotel, Restaurant & Catering Organization (HORECA) in 1966
  • Organization of HORECA's General Assembly in Beirut with 214 participants in 1968

1978-2000

  • Continued activity despite the civil war
  • Election of Kanounji as member of the Board of the Social Security
  • Election of Paul Ariss as member of the Advisory Board of the Ministry of Touris
  • Organization of 'The 50 Years Awards" in 1994 to honor owners and chefs for their performance in the business over the past 50 years
  • Success in decreasing the special tax on restaurants and night-clubs from 15 to 5%, followed by its total cancellation
  • Member of the “Conservatoire des Cuisines Méditerranéennes”

2000-2004

  • Continued assistance to F&B owners/investors
  • Member of the “Conservatoire des Cuisines Méditerranéennes”

2004-2010

  • Re-election of Bahjat Kanounji as a member of the Board of the Social Security
  • Election of the Syndicate's vice-president, Khaled Nazha, to the Advisory Board of the Ministry of Tourism
  • Election of Khaled Nazha to the Board of the National Recruitment Agency
  • Election of Paul Ariss and Khaled Nazha to the Board of the Mediterranean Restaurants' Federation
  • National campaigns in more than ten cities and suburbs on Food Safety (with Boecker) and long- term loans (with Byblos Bank)
  • Participation in more than eighty conferences and seminars on ecotourism, rural development, quality control, food safety and new legislation
  • Completion of a project on tourism laws modernization submitted to the Ministry of Tourism in 2005 in conjunction with members of other tourism syndicates
  • Communication campaign to promote the industry during the 2006 war, the sit-in in Beirut Central District and the incidents in Gemmayzeh
  • Success in convincing Kafalat institution and banks to re-program the payment of restaurants' loans
  • Boosting regional investments in tourism by introducing owners to Kafalat long-term loans with Byblos Bank
  • Success in lifting the ban on the circulation of the delivery motorcycles that the Ministry of Interior had implemented
  • Success in lobbying against the Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Interior's Decree which regulates opening times of restaurants and pubs

2010-2014

  • Election of Paul Ariss as President
  • Elections of Khaled Nazha as Vice President, Tony Ramy as General Secretary, Ziad Kamel as Treasurer
  • Successful lobbying with the government to tend to the interests of the hospitality industry. Meetings took place with the President of the Republic of Lebanon, the Prime Minister, Ministers of Tourism, Economy & Trade, Finance, Health, Labor, Education, Interior, Heads of Political Parties representing all sides, Members of Parliament, Parliament Committees, Heads of Governmental Institutions such as: Municipalities, Districts (Mouhafaz), Regis, Social Security, Internal Security
  • Attended as Official Syndicate Representatives in the following governmental committees: Social Security Committee (Daman), Ministry of Tourism Advisory Committee, Ministry of Labor Advisory Committee, General Committee for Technical Studies, and the Technical School of Dekwaneh
  • Coordination and Liaison with Tourism Syndicates and Economic Committees: Chamber of Commerce & Industries & Agriculture, Hotels, Car Rentals, Furnished Apartments, Touristic Guides, Beach Resorts, Travel Agencies
  • Meeting and coordination with financial institutions to develop/promote subsidized loans for entrepreneurs in the hospitality industry for business growth such as: Kafalat, Banque du Liban (Central Bank), Bank Audi, Bank Byblos
  • Established close ties with non government companies and institutions such as: Hodema, GWR Food Safety, Ernst & Young, HORECA, Boeker
  • Coordinated with Food Hygiene & Safety experts GWR to develop a standardized National Food Hygiene & Safety Document for the hospitality sector in Lebanon
  • Organized the ‘Feast for Change’ fund raising & networking event in the Sursock Palais in Achrafieh, bringing together the best in food, drink and entertainment in the Lebanese hospitality sector. Funds were raised from food and beverage companies and key sponsors such as Bank Audi, Master Card and Vresso
  • Lobbied with officials to modify certain sections of Smoking Ban Law 174
  • Organized the largest private sector peaceful demonstration comprising hospitality industry owners and employees in Lebanon
  • Appearances and close ties with media such as: LBC, Future TV, MTV, New TV, OTV, TL, Al Manar, Al Mayadeen, CNN, BBC, NBN, An Nahar, Daily Star, Financial Times, L’Orient Le Jour, Commerce Du Levant, Hospitality News Middle East, Lebanon Opportunities, Executive Magazine, Al Dyar, Al Akhbar, Al Balad, Al Moustaqbal, As Safir, Al Iqtissad awl Aamal