RIYADH, 14 July 2006 — News travels fast, and few things affect travel faster than military incursions. As such, travel agents in Riyadh reported yesterday that tourism to Lebanon screeched to a halt following the news of Israeli attack there.

“All our reservations to Lebanon were canceled after the airport was attacked by the Israelis,” said Rashed Al-Muqeet, manager of Al-Mawsim travel agency, referring to the Israeli airstrikes on Beirut airport and other places in Lebanon. “The peak tourism season in Lebanon is August.”

As many as 2,500 Saudis a day leave for Lebanon to enjoy the the mild, scenic climate of the Arabian Mediterranean region beginning around this time of year.

Now, it seems that whoever is already vacationing in Lebanon is trying to hightail it up to Syria before figuring out what to do next.

Cancellations went into overdrive yesterday after news of the Israeli attack. Travel agents say that Saudis have been scrambling to find alternative destinations for their summer retreats.

Naser Al-Tayyar, a manager of Al-Tayyar Travel Group, said that many Saudis have properties in Lebanon, and tourism there had been on the rise for the past three years.

Now, he said, tourism to Lebanon — a country whose economy relies in part to summertime tourism — would be interrupted for at least this year.

He said that he has been receiving requests for alternative destinations in Europe and Southeast Asia.

Mutaz Kayyal, president of Elaph Tourism Group, said that the Lebanese economy would be hit hard because of what is happening, pointing out that Saudis book about SR50 million worth of hotel and airline reservations to Lebanon every summer.

“Currently it is difficult to refund the money to travelers because of the situation in Lebanon,” said Kayyal.

“All the money was paid to hotels and tourism offices in Lebanon and it is difficult to talk about the financial matters at this time given the fact that the Israeli raids have done considerable damage there.

“Saudi families are also bound to suffer because there is the condition that some percentage would be deducted if a reservation is canceled.

“It is unfortunate that the crises happened at a time when the flow of tourists to Lebanon is at its peak,” Kayyal added.