During the summer of 2010, a total of 26,000 cars with plates registered in Saudi Arabia and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries crossed the Lebanese border from Turkey and Syria. With an average of five persons per family car, this totaled more than 120,000 land tourists. At the end of July 2011 that number had dwindled to less than 5,000, indicating a drop of 96 percent. Roget Sawaya, director of studies at the Lebanese-Syrian Studies Center, told the Saudi Gazette ?all forms of trans-border economic activities have been negatively affected. The transport of goods from Lebanon to Arab countries through Syria has gone down by more than 70 percent. The transport by truck of vegetables, fruits and frozen meats, from Turkey to Arab countries and GCC member states, has also gone down by about 60 percent.? A Tripoli (Lebanon) Chamber of Commerce report in July, showed that Saudi and GCC land tourism into Lebanon has gone down. ?It?s understandable, events in Syria have spilled over into Lebanon. I understand the hesitation of GCC families traveling into Lebanon in family cars. A good number of them switched to airplanes or changed their destinations,? said Huda Zeghaib, president of North Lebanon Tour Operators. According to a report published by the Internal Security Department in Beirut, the total number of Saudi and GCC-registered cars entering Lebanon through the two main land ports of Almesnaa and Abboudiah was below 5,000. Understandably not all GCC-registered cars are owned by GCC residents. ?A good number of Lebanese who work in the Gulf and Saudi Arabia prefer using their cars. It?s less costly, more convenient for large families and those who are not pressed for time.? On the other hand, a recent study by Beirut Business Society, estimates that a visiting Lebanese family of five spends on average $600 a day. ?It?s true they save on transport but they still have to rent a place and pay for meals and entertainment. A GCC family visiting Lebanon using a family car would spend more than $900 a day,? said Joseph Ashger. Saudi and GCC land tourism into Lebanon is estimated to yield more than SR165 million over a two
