The Lebanon Mountain TrailCelebrating a Shared HeritageCelebrating a Shared HeritageCelebrating a Shared HeritageCelebrating a Shared Heritage

400 km national hiking trail extending from Al-Qbaiyat in the

north of Lebanon to Marjaayoun in the south

Passes by more than 75 towns and villages

Invites visitors to discover and enjoy the natural beauty of

Lebanese mountains and her people

Serves as a catalyst to help unite and connect rural

communities of Lebanon

Generates direct economic benefits and supports low-income

people in rural communities

What is the Lebanon Mountain

Trail (LMT)?

The trail invites you to discover…

• Towering snow-capped mountains and deep lush valleys

• Magnificent vistas overlooking the Mediterranean

• Three nature reserves and a World Heritage Site

• Medieval and Ottoman castles

• Roman roads/temples and Byzantine churches

• Rock inscriptions by order of Roman Emperor Hadrian

• Old red-tiled roof villages

• Fascinating legends

• Palaces of the Emirs

• Birthplaces of literary giants

• Hermitages, rock-cut monasteries, and heritage museums

• Age-old culinary delights

• and much more…

The Lebanon Mountain Trail Project

• Core funding by

• Conceived and implemented by

• With the support of the Ministries

of Tourism and Environment

• Project Duration

December 2005 – December 2007

The Lebanon Mountain Trail

Project Partners

Objectives of the LMT project

• Delineate and map the Lebanon Mountain Trail

• Connect rural communities and bring people together

• Expand economic opportunities in rural areas

• Conserve natural and cultural heritage along the trail

• Establish the LMT Association to ensure sustainability

Components of the LMT project

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EVENTSEVENTSEVENTSEVENTS ATTRACTIONSATTRACTIONSATTRACTIONSATTRACTIONS

TRAIL

Partnerships and collaborative planning

Trail Delineation

Based on carefully-selected

criteria and advice from

seasoned trekkers and local

stakeholders

Test Walking

Volunteers and tour operators

test walked and validated the

LMT from North to South

Trail construction,

clearing & marking

Trail construction in Bcharre

Trail clearing in Hasbaya

Mapping

The trail was divided into 24 day-sections

to be featured on user-friendly maps

Training Workshop on trail construction and maintenance organized with assistance from USFS

Ramlieh, November 16-19, 2006

Developing Lodging Facilities

Section of Al Qantar palace - Mtein

Enhancing Rural Tourism Attractions

Mtein Historic Town Square Mar Laba Historic Town Square in Hasroun

Installation of interpretive panels on major attractions

Baatara Sinkhole (a.k.a. The Three Bridges)

Tannourine

Supporting rural events and festivals

Olive picking in Hasbaya (October 2006)

Apple picking in Aqoura (September 2006)

LMT Promotion & Marketing (2007)

September Made in America (Lebanon)

March 27-30HORECA (Lebanon)

May 15-19Garden Show (Lebanon)

May 14-17Global Ecotourism Conference (Oslo)

December 6-9AWTEE (Lebanon)

October Lire en Français et en Musique

(Lebanon)

February 20-22Educational Travel Conference (ETC)

in Baltimore

Mobilizing

volunteers to:

• Upgrade the trail

• Install trail markers

• Install interpretive panels

• Test lodging facilities

• Identify sponsors

• Promote the LMT

• And more …

Benefits of the LMT

• Promote ecotourism and rural tourism in Lebanon

• Project a positive image of Lebanon

• Support micro-enterprises (family run businesses, self employed people, eco tour operators)

• Create an incentive for investment in tourism services in

the LMT villages

• Conserve biodiversity and natural resources

• Protect natural and cultural monuments

• Induce behavioral change

• Promote local governance

Summary of Highlights for 2007+

• Engage local tour operators more

• Support micro-enterprises and family-run businesses

• Clear and mark more sections on the LMT

• Organize the first “thru-walk” of the LMT

• Launch the LMT website and publish the LMT guidebook

and maps

• Feature the LMT at international travel fairs

• Hand over the LMT management to the LMT Association

The LMT Project The LMT Association

Establishing the LMT Association

Objectives of the LMT Association

1. Develop, maintain and protect the Lebanon Mountain Trail

2. Protect the natural, cultural and architectural heritage and

landmarks along the trail

3. Enhance economic opportunities durably by promoting responsible

tourism

The LMT Association today

• Done to date:

– Articles of incorporation and

By-laws

– Registration with the

Lebanese Authorities

– 11 founding members

– Election of an executive

board

• 2007 plans:

– Recruit members

– Gradual hand over from the

LMT project

– Accept donations

Tourism packages on the LMT

A collaborative effort between

ECODIT and CIFA

The Centre d’Insertion par la Formation et l’Activité

under the LMT project

Case Study

The Baskinta Literary Trail

What is the Baskinta Literary Trail?

24- km thematic trail on the LMT

Links the sites of literary significance

in the region of Baskinta, North Mount

Lebanon

Showcases the birthplaces and

landscapes that have inspired the

works of famous writers and poets in

Baskinta region:

Mikhael Neaime, Abdallah Ghanem, Amin

Maalouf, Suleiman Kettaneh, and others

CIFA’s role

• Suggested and mapped the itinerary of the Literary Trail

• Verified information on the literary heritage of the region

• Identified the sites to visit

• Developed a signage plan for the Literary Trail (directional signs and interpretive panels)

• Drafted the content of the interpretive panels

• Organized a test walk on the Literary Trail to solicit

participants feedback

• Participated in community meetings organized by ECODIT

Benefits of the Literary Trail

• Exposure and additional source of income to local

tourism providers (guides, artists, cottage industry, guesthouses, etc.)

• Promote the cultural, literary and natural heritage of the

Baskinta region

• Increase local awareness of and pride in local heritage

• Foster local ownership over the Literary Trail (local guides and volunteers)

Selection of the Literary Trail landmarks

Local artist’s impressions of a selection of the Literary Trail landmarks

Local guesthouse

Mymoune rural production center

Baskinta Literary Trail in 2007

• Produce the Literary Trail map and brochure

• Install basic signage (directional signs and interpretive panels)

• Build the Abdallah Ghanem Cultural Park

• Train up to 10 local cultural guides

• Furnish and equip a local guesthouse in Baskinta

• Launch the Literary Trail

lmt@ecodit.com

www.lebanontrail.org

www.ecodit.com

In USA

ECODIT, Inc.

1800 N. Kent St., Suite 1260

Arlington, VA 22209

USA

Phone: +1 703 841 1883

Fax: +1 703 841 1885

In Lebanon

ECODIT-LMT project office

Sacré Cœur Hospital Street

Ghaleb Center, 1st Floor

Baabda, LEBANON

Phone: +961 5 955 302/3

Fax : +961 5 955 304

*** Contact Us ***