This article forms part of a series of publications under MEDUSA project’s “Mediterranean sub-grant Adventure Tourism Competition” which aims at catalyzing the creation of new innovative adventure tourism products and experiences and upgrading existing products in our partner territories Jordan, Lebanon, Tunisia, Puglia (Italy) and Catalonia (Spain).

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Despite all the crises and hardships, Lebanon continues to record achievements and progress in regards to adventure tourism. One of which, is the high number of participants in the MEDUSA Sub-Grants competition, which aspires to develop adventure tourism products and put Lebanon on the list of interesting destinations for extreme sports enthusiasts. Having said that, and in the scope of the MEDUSA Sub-Grant competition in Lebanon, get to know Association Libanaise d’Etudes Spéléologiques - ALES and their initiative "Summit to Sea” (S2S), one of the winners of the competition. 

Generally, cycling tourism is a rapidly growing sector that creates a significant economic activity in host communities. Summit to Sea (S2S) aims for the creation of a new adventure tourism product in Lebanon, revolving around the practice of a discipline known as Enduro Mountain Biking (MTB). The project is set up in a manner that entails the engagement of regional MSMEs. Enduro MTB is a cycling discipline practiced on commonly steep, narrow, rocky, challenging terrain and often involves features that require the rider to jump. It is a discipline that is ideally suited for Lebanon’s mountainous foot paths and hills. This project proposition will develop three itineraries, designed for international visitors who want to travel specifically for an advanced MTB cycling experience.

In an interview with Dr. Daniel Asmar, who is a Mechanical Engineering professor at the “American University” of Beirut and Mrs. Ghada Salem, General Secretary at “Association Libanaise d’Etudes Spéléologiques”" (ALES), both initiators of the project, they explained to us that the MEDUSA Sub-Grant will enable them to create this pallet. Dr. Asmar says: “I believe this fund that’s going to be awarded to us by MEDUSA and by the René Moawad foundation is more than a seed, really it's an enabler for us to test the ground, test the pilot in the next 6 months”, stressing on the fact that the project will also benefit MSMEs in cooperative areas, namely operatives from the housing and food industries amongst others.

There are many objectives for this project, some for the long-term and others are short sighted. Dr. Asmar invoked that the long-term objective is to have Enduro MTB become mainstream, while their short-term goal is to establish pilots in the areas of Tannourine, Kadisha Kfardebian. Alongside extending to multiple regions in Lebanon, according to Mrs. Salem, what separates this project from the competition is that its natural extensive repercussions, directly benefit many sectors in correlated communities: "The project extends to so many other subjects, the people who will be coming will need to eat and stay in a place within the village, therefore, it involves a lot of people, not just the bikers and people directly affiliated to the project. That’s what’s nice about it!”

Finally, Dr Asmar and Mrs. Ghada see a bright future for adventure tourism in Lebanon, as it increases the market of tourism by offering novel tourism products. Noting that sun and sea tourism has always been the typical source of attraction for visitors and is very seasonal, even though lucky to have a long lasting hot season. However, there is an undoubtful need to invest in new sectors, “Going even more into the mountain and walking around is very nice! It's a beautiful way to see a country” says Dr. Asmar.