{"id":3239,"date":"2026-06-12T18:03:07","date_gmt":"2026-06-12T18:03:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/businessjurnalmedia.com\/?p=3239"},"modified":"2026-06-12T18:03:08","modified_gmt":"2026-06-12T18:03:08","slug":"3239","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/businessjurnalmedia.com\/?p=3239","title":{"rendered":""},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Roger Abed Perez: A Legacy That Helped Shape Lebanon\u2019s Tourism Story<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The name Abed is inseparable from Lebanon\u2019s golden era of tourism and hospitality. From iconic destinations such as Acapulco Beach, the Byblos Fishing Club, and Le Blanc Bleu to pioneering efforts that introduced forgotten regions of Lebanon to international travelers, the Abed family played a remarkable role in shaping the country\u2019s tourism landscape.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this exclusive honoring interview, Roger Abed Perez reflects on his family\u2019s extraordinary legacy, Lebanon\u2019s golden years, and his enduring belief in the country\u2019s future.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Roger Abed Perez, your name remains deeply connected to one of Lebanon\u2019s most iconic hospitality and tourism legacies. How would you describe the journey of preserving this remarkable family heritage throughout the years?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The story began in 1948 when my father, Jos\u00e9 Abed, known as Pepe Abed, visited Lebanon for the first time. Although his great-grandfather had emigrated from Miziara, North Lebanon, to Mexico in 1898, my father had never truly known his ancestral homeland. He immediately fell in love with Lebanon and became convinced that it could become a world-class tourism destination. What followed was not simply the creation of hotels and restaurants, but the beginning of a vision that helped shape modern Lebanese tourism. Preserving this heritage means safeguarding that vision and passing it on to future generations.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

How do you personally describe Lebanon\u2019s golden era, which your family helped shape through tourism and hospitality?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lebanon\u2019s golden era was a unique period when the country became one of the Mediterranean\u2019s most attractive destinations. Visitors from around the world were drawn to its beauty, culture, hospitality, and openness. It was a time of optimism, elegance, and international recognition. I am proud that our family contributed to showcasing Lebanon to the world and helping position it as a leading tourism destination.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Byblos Fishing Club is not only an iconic destination in Lebanon but also includes a museum reflecting part of its rich history. What does preserving this heritage mean to you today?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Byblos Fishing Club represents much more than a restaurant or tourism destination. It reflects an important chapter of Lebanon\u2019s cultural and tourism history. Preserving this heritage means honoring the memories, stories, and achievements that helped shape the country\u2019s hospitality industry while ensuring that future generations can appreciate and learn from this remarkable legacy.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your family helped shape Lebanon\u2019s hospitality scene through legendary venues and restaurants. How do you reflect on that journey today?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Looking back, I feel immense pride. Beginning with Acapulco Beach and its 200 bungalows in Ouzai in 1950, alongside the famous La Perla Restaurant, our family went on to establish landmark destinations including the Bacchus Hotel in Beirut, the Byblos Fishing Club, the Hacienda in Amchit, the Admiral Club in Tyre, Le Blanc Bleu, and the Halat Sailing Club. What makes this journey truly special is that we were not merely opening hospitality venues\u2014we were helping introduce and promote areas of Lebanon that were largely unknown at the time, many of which later became major tourism destinations.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your name has become associated with elegance, international hospitality, and cultural openness. How important was vision in building such a lasting legacy?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vision was everything. My father saw Lebanon\u2019s tourism potential long before many others did. He believed in investing in exceptional locations and creating experiences that would attract both local and international visitors. That vision, combined with hard work and perseverance, became the foundation of a legacy that continues to be remembered today.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Being appointed Honorary Consul of Mexico in Lebanon marked an important chapter in your journey. What did this responsibility mean to you personally?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Serving as Honorary Consul of Mexico in Lebanon has been one of the great honors of my life. It allowed me to strengthen and promote the longstanding relationship between Lebanon and Mexico, a connection that dates back more than a century. It was an opportunity to serve both countries and contribute to building stronger cultural, economic, and human ties between their people.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many international figures visited your family\u2019s establishments over the years. What memories remain closest to your heart?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Byblos Fishing Club became one of Lebanon\u2019s most celebrated destinations thanks to its exceptional location and unique atmosphere. Over the years, we had the privilege of welcoming renowned personalities such as Marlon Brando, Brigitte Bardot, former French President Jacques Chirac, former Italian Prime Minister Aldo Moro, and many others. One particularly memorable moment was Brigitte Bardot spending an entire day at the Admiral Club in Tyre. These encounters remain among the most cherished memories of our family\u2019s hospitality journey.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In your opinion, what made Lebanon during that era such a unique destination for international visitors?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beyond its natural beauty and rich culture, Lebanon benefited from visionary investments that showcased the country to international travelers. Through our travel company, Abed Tourist Co., we organized weekly charter flights bringing tourists from France to Beirut. Guests would stay at our hotels and experience Lebanon through unique excursions, including sailing from Byblos to our guest house at the Admiral Club in Tyre. These experiences highlighted the diversity, charm, and hospitality of Lebanon and helped establish its reputation as one of the Mediterranean\u2019s most attractive destinations.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do you believe Lebanon can revive the elegance, prestige, and tourism success of that golden era once again?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Absolutely. Lebanon is a beautiful country with extraordinary potential. I firmly believe it will rise again. With the right vision, stability, and leadership, Lebanon can restore its place as one of the region\u2019s premier tourism destinations. My hope is that future generations will be given every opportunity to build a brighter future and continue showcasing Lebanon to the world.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As you reflect on a legacy that helped define Lebanon\u2019s golden hospitality era, how would you like future generations to remember the Abed family story?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I would like future generations to remember that the Abed family believed in Lebanon long before tourism became a major industry. We were not only hoteliers and restaurateurs; we were pioneers who promoted forgotten regions, created destinations, attracted international visitors, and helped showcase Lebanon to the world. From our beginnings as jewelers in 1910, to the creation of iconic tourism landmarks, and even the Abed Clock facing Parliament in Downtown Beirut, our story has always been one of vision, entrepreneurship, and unwavering faith in Lebanon\u2019s future.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Roger Abed Perez: A Legacy That Helped Shape Lebanon\u2019s Tourism Story The name Abed is inseparable from Lebanon\u2019s golden era of tourism and hospitality. From iconic destinations such as Acapulco Beach, the Byblos Fishing Club, and Le Blanc Bleu to pioneering efforts that introduced forgotten regions of Lebanon to international travelers, the Abed family played a remarkable role in shaping the country\u2019s tourism landscape. In this exclusive honoring interview, Roger Abed Perez reflects on his family\u2019s extraordinary legacy, Lebanon\u2019s golden […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":3242,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[65,85,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3239","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hospitality","category-special-interviews","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/businessjurnalmedia.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3239","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/businessjurnalmedia.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/businessjurnalmedia.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businessjurnalmedia.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businessjurnalmedia.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3239"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/businessjurnalmedia.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3239\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3243,"href":"https:\/\/businessjurnalmedia.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3239\/revisions\/3243"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businessjurnalmedia.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/3242"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/businessjurnalmedia.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3239"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businessjurnalmedia.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3239"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/businessjurnalmedia.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3239"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}