Samar Yahya

Saudi Gazette

JEDDAH — Real estate agents taking part in a Lebanese property exhibition underway here say Saudis are currently reluctant to visit their country because of security concerns.



A Lebanese Week kicked off Saturday at the Jeddah Center for Forums & Events and will continue until Tuesday.



The opening ceremony was attended by Lebanese Economy and Trade Minister Allan Hakeem, President of the Lebanese Chambers Council Mohammad Shuqair  and Deputy Chairman of Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry Mazen Batterjee.



Saudis are no longer visiting Lebanon due to the political unrest taking place in the region, said a real estate expert participating in the exhibition.



Tawfiq Shaybob said while Saudis and other Gulf nationals used to visit Lebanon frequently, they are now reluctant to travel there, especially after official travel warnings issued by their governments. “Lebanon is safe now as the unrest has ended and will hopefully remain so," said Shaybob, who is promoting different apartments and housing units to Saudis at the exhibition.



He added that different segments of Saudi society used to target various accommodation options ranging from small apartments in Beirut to countryside houses. “Saudis are no longer visiting our country; therefore, we are approaching them,” he added.



Both Lebanese businessmen and businesswomen were seen promoting their products and services and searching for agents to represent them in Saudi Arabia.



Edmond Boutros, owner of the Mosaic Establishment, has been selling mosaic floor tiles for over 100 years and is now approaching the Saudi market for the first time.



Boutros’s new concept is to introduce his product to the public so they know that they can enjoy having a piece of art in their homes. “We are not targeting palaces; we are rather targeting small, two-bedroom apartments.”



Boutros said his company used to sell its products in America and Europe. “It is time to introduce our products to the Middle East,” he added.



The company has two factories, one in Egypt and another in Lebanon. The two factories, he said, use natural stones imported from Spain, Greece, India and Brazil.



Fadi Bejjani, export manager at Tamer Holding Company, which sells makeup, spoke about their aim to bring back their brand into the Kingdom. Their company used to have agents in the Kingdom a long time ago, but they have now lost their local representatives.



This exhibition, he said, is a chance for them to look for agents, especially since they consider the Saudi market as one of the biggest markets in the region, followed by the UAE.



The exhibition is an extended open invitation to Saudi businessmen to attend business meetings in order to develop and improve their business and to open new markets to extending the investment cooperation between Lebanon and Saudi Arabia.



"Made in Lebanon" consists of 250 Lebanese brands for products ranging from construction, food, clothing, catering, cosmetics, makeup and accessories.



Lebanese Consul General Ziad Attallah said Saudi investments in Lebanon were put off due to the security situation in Lebanon.



He added that current real estate prices are attractive. “Lebanon had gone through worse political and economic unrest and was able to recover and this is what is giving us hope for the upcoming period.”