The Syndicate of Owners of Restaurants, Cafes, Nightclubs and Patisserie in Lebanon issued a statement stating that “the Syndicate is following all new developments related to the coronavirus, and is taking proactive steps and measures to prevent any harm on the human, health, and economic levels. We are aware of the recent increase in Covid-19 infections, that’s why members of the Syndicate I met with the Follow-up Committee and the relevant ministers, to discuss prevention methods, especially during the upcoming holidays.”

The syndicate added: “With the advent of the month of December, several procedures should be applied to avoid any closure during holidays. The government must first of all set penalties on any violator, secondly touristic institutions should apply the preventive measures firmly, and adhere to the measures and circulars issued by the Ministry of Tourism regarding the capacity rates, and thirdly, customers should be acting in a responsible way, so that they report any violation in any tourist institution and refrain from entering it.”

“From here on, everyone of us is responsible and has to abide by all the circulars issued and the standards required to spread the positive image of the sector, and to assure that the tourism sector has nothing to do with increasing the number of infections, and that the restaurants are safer than the overcrowding homes.

The syndicate from its part, has carried out its duties since the beginning of the pandemic. It is noteworthy that it was the first to close its institutions before the previous government took the decision of general lockdown, and then it carried out extensive awareness campaigns that included all tourist institutions across all territories. It also cooperated with the National Committee for Covid-19 vaccines to provide vaccines for the entire workers in touristic institutions, and it held the vaccination marathon on 6, 7 and 8 September 2021 to vaccinate workers.

The statement concluded: “Finally, we turn to our honorable colleagues in the sector, we are never willing to bear the burden of any chaos associated with the lack of a muzzle culture, so let us be the more responsible in this delicate period of the year in applying the preventive instructions firmly, and let us collaborate to maintain the sector’s reputation and credibility.”

“We rely on the sense of collective and individual responsibility of the people, wishing everyone a successful season despite all difficult circumstances and hoping that the coming year will bring prosperity, success and progress for all colleagues, their families and their institutions,” the statement said.