"Before the Lebanese war, tourists came from outside the Middle East much more than now. Ones who knew Lebanon before the war come, but others are still afraid to come," Hamamjian says.
Another deterrent is the price. "We are working for package deals to have good prices. Until then, it's expensive," he says.
STANDING OUT
In keeping with its glitzy image, Faraya-Mzaar is abuzz with pretentiousness at night.
At Crystal nightclub, people dance on tables, silhouetted against steamed-up windows.
When someone orders a US$3,000, nine-liter bottle of Moet and Chandon, it tours the room on two waiters' shoulders to the tune of an anthem. A spotlight follows it to the table. The big spender's name is written on a board by the door.
"There's a bit of showing off about it," says Crystal's main owner, Mazen El-Zein. "It's about standing out."
Package deals might one day bring even more people to Lebanon's slopes, but at least one regular prefers the high prices.
"I like it like that," laughs Fady Kahale, a retired businessman. "It keeps the riff-raff out."
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