Data Visualization

Blog of the Data Visualization & Communication Course at OSB-AUB

“This is my favorite part about analytics: Taking boring flat data and bringing it to life through visualization” John Tukey

Lebanon’s tourism potential is high, but a lot of it remains unsupported

by | Nov 20, 2025 | Uncategorized

Lebanon’s landscape is full of cultural, historical, and natural assets, yet tourism development across the country remains uneven. Using the UNDP Tourism Readiness dataset (1,136 towns across 25 districts), this analysis uncovers where Lebanon’s hidden tourism opportunities are and which regions lack the infrastructure to support them.

Tourism Potential Exists, But Not All Towns Are Developed

To understand tourism readiness, every town can be classified into one of four groups:

  • Developed Potential: Towns with both potential and infrastructure
  • Untapped Potential: Towns with potential but no infrastructure
  • Infrastructure Only: Towns with infrastructure but no identified potential
  • Low Potential: Towns with neither

Right away, a key insight emerges:

A considerable number of Lebanese towns have meaningful tourism potential but lack the infrastructure required to activate it.

This simple breakdown highlights that tourism potential is widespread across the country, but not always supported by visitor services such as guest houses, cafés, or restaurants.

Some areas have much larger gaps than others

When looking at infrastructure gaps by area, the differences become clearer. Some districts have potential but very little tourism infrastructure to go with it.

In particular,

  • Beqaa
  • Hermel
  • Marjeyoun

show some of the highest gap rates. These places have attractions and natural assets, but not enough facilities to support tourism activity. Meanwhile, districts like Mount Lebanon and Byblos are more developed and have infrastructure that aligns better with their tourism activity.

This chart makes it easier to see which areas are lagging behind and where new investment could make a real difference.

What this means for tourism planning

  • Putting the insights together, a simple pattern appears:
  • Many towns across Lebanon do have tourism potential
  • But a noticeable share of them don’t have the infrastructure to support visitors
  • The largest gaps show up in specific districts, not everywhere
  • Improving basic services in these places could unlock new opportunities

Instead of focusing only on areas that are already popular, these findings suggest that Lebanon has several underdeveloped regions that could become strong tourism spots if they receive proper attention.

Conclusion

Lebanon already has the natural and cultural foundations for tourism. The challenge isn’t a lack of potential, it’s the uneven distribution of infrastructure.

By identifying where the gaps are, the data gives a clear starting point for planners, municipalities, and anyone interested in local development. Investing in infrastructure in high-potential but underserved towns could help bring more balance to Lebanon’s tourism map and open opportunities in regions that are currently overlooked.

Finding the Goldmine: The Hidden Opportunity in Tourism Data

Finding the Goldmine: The Hidden Opportunity in Tourism Data

by | Nov 17, 2025 | Dashboard, Visualization

In the world of investment, it often feels like all the obvious opportunities are taken. We’re all looking for that next smart investment, the next area for growth, but the map looks crowded. The “obvious” winners are saturated, and the undeveloped areas seem to lack potential.

But what if we’ve been looking at the map all wrong?

I’ve been analyzing the tourism landscape, and the data tells a fascinating story. At first glance, it shows exactly what you’d expect.

Take a look at this chart. It plots the “Tourism Index” (think of this as the raw appeal of a town its beaches, history, or natural wonders) against its “Available Hospitality Infrastructure” (the hotels, restaurants etc..).

For the most part, the data points fall into predictable patterns. In the top right, you have the “obvious” winners: towns with high appeal and high infrastructure. They are successful, but they are also saturated markets, expensive to enter. In the bottom left, you have towns with low appeal and no infrastructure. No surprise, and no real opportunity.

This is the world as we see it today. But if you look closer, an exception appears, a powerful imbalance.

Do you see that cluster of red dots? That’s the real story.

These are towns with a world-class Tourism Index, scoring a 9 or 10 out of 10. The market has confirmed that people want to go to these places just as much as the most popular destinations on the chart.

But now, look at their infrastructure score. They aren’t high at all. They’re sitting at the floor.

This is the conflict in our story. This is the gap. We have towns with proven, high-value appeal but virtually no hotels, no quality restaurants, and no services for the tourists who want to be there.

This isn’t a problem. It’s a goldmine.

While everyone else is fighting for scraps in those crowded blue markets, we have a clear, data-driven signal pointing to an untapped market. This is our “what could be.”

Imagine being the first to build a quality hotel in a town that already has a “perfect 10” appeal. You’re not just hoping for demand; you’re meeting it. You’re not just competing; you’re creating the market.

These red dots aren’t just data points; they are invitations. They represent jobs we can create, local economies we can grow, and a smart, strategic investment with a powerful first-mover advantage.

The real opportunity isn’t in the crowded part of the map. It’s here, hidden in plain sight, in the gap between what is and what could be.