Knefeh And Noodles

Lebanon’s second city is about to be pushed out of its comfort zone…

Don’t be fooled by the fancy buildings and a bunch of new glittery cafés. Tripoli looks like a city, but it is in fact one big town. People know each other, tradition is entrenched in most social interactions, and gossip is a favorite pastime.

Tripoli is nominally Lebanon’s second capital, but measured by economic activity, it trails way behind Beirut. It has no significant economic motor to hold it together. But this is about to change.

Chinese Traders have somehow concluded that the best place to establish a regional trade center to promote their products is the Rachid Karami International Fair in Tripoli. Their decision is about to transform the entire Tripolitan economy.

The Project will generate 3000 jobs in its first phase. Estimates indicate that 400,000 people will come to Tripoli annually to trade. Most visitors will be from Arab and African countries, and most will need to be housed, fed and entertained. Considering the embarrassing scarcity of hotels in Tripoli, we are talking about big opportunities in the tourism and real estate sectors. Whether or not Tripolitanian investors will seize them is a different matter; Northerners are notorious for playing safe with their money (many live off bank interests).

The thousands of Chinese, added to the Arab and African traders, will also bring a concept that was previously unheard of in homogenous Tripoli: Multi-culturalism.
Because of little exposure, a lot of people will not know what to do with the Chinese next door, this is why the Municipality is kindly urged to change racist attitudes by using awareness public campaigns.

Being a native of Tripoli myself, I will sit back and enjoy watching the transformation take place..