Nasrallah’s Hezbollah has millions of supporters in Lebanon and the region [Getty]
Lebanon is witnessing a sharp rise in hotel reservations and flight bookings ahead of the highly-anticipated funeral of Hezbollah’s former leader Hassan Nasrallah on 23 February.
The unprecedented demand, particularly from Iraq and Iran – key allies of the Lebanese group – has led to soaring ticket prices and fully booked accommodations near the anticipated funeral site.
Hezbollah official Ali Daher confirmed that the main funeral gathering would take place inside Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium in Beirut, which has a seating capacity of around 50,000.
“The ceremony will last about an hour, during which Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem will deliver a speech,” Daher said.
Daher described the funeral as “a day of national unity that brings people together rather than divide them”, adding that the day would mark “a new chapter in history, with the triumph of blood over the sword”.
Daher said visitors were expected from 79 countries, including both official delegations and public supporters, with a Beirut-based travel agent telling TNA that most visitors were from the so-called “Axis of Resistance” countries – including Iraq and Iran.
The group’s affiliated Al-Manar TV reported that large numbers of mourners were likely to gather outside in the surrounding areas due to limited spaces.
Hezbollah’s supreme funeral committee would be responsible for the event, according to the Lebanese daily Al-Akhbar, which reported that the committee had formed several subcommittees to handle various logistical aspects leading to the day.
The funeral would broadcast live on several Lebanon-based channels, including Al-Manar and the Iran-backed Al-Mayadeen.
Spike in travel and hotel bookings
Hotel owners told The New Arab that demand has surged since Nasrallah’s funeral was announced, with most bookings being short-term stays of one or two nights between 21 and 23 February.
Many visitors plan to leave immediately after the funeral, depending on flight availability, one hotel owner said.
With two weeks until the funeral, hotels near the stadium, including Lancaster Eden Bay, Galleria Hotel Beirut, Lancaster Tamar Hotel, and Bossa Nova Beirut Hotel, were already showing no availability, while Assaha Hotel confirmed to TNA they were also fully booked.
As thousands of international visitors are expected, Lebanon’s hospitality and travel sectors are experiencing an unusual boost.
A Beirut-based travel agent told TNA that Middle East Airlines had added an extra flight from Baghdad between 21 and 24 February to accommodate the influx.
“An uptick in foreign visitors is highly expected,” the agent said.
Security concerns are also mounting, with Lebanese authorities coordinating heightened security measures for the funeral.
Fears of potential Israeli strikes or further attacks have prompted Hezbollah to tighten security around the stadium and key locations in Beirut’s southern suburbs.
Nasrallah, Hezbollah’s former secretary-general, was assassinated on 27 September in Beirut by Israeli F-15 jets, which dropped dozens of bunker-busting bombs on the heavily populated Harit Hreik area.
While Hezbollah has yet to officially confirm the details surrounding his death, reports suggest that Israel had targeted a high-level Hezbollah meeting in the underground headquarters of the group.
Nasrallah’s body was recovered days after the attack and was given a temporary burial until Israel’s full withdrawal from Lebanon in line with the ceasefire deal.
Nasrallah’s body would be exhumed and transported to its final burial site in Beirut in “a plot between the old and new roads leading to the airport”, Qassem said earlier this month.
The funeral will also honour Hashem Safieddine, former head of Hezbollah’s executive council and Nasrallah’s anticipated successor, whose death was confirmed on 23 October following an Israeli strike in the early hours of 4 October.
Safieddine will be buried in his hometown of Deir Qanoun al-Nahr in the southern Tyre district.
