Laqlouq: Lebanon's next year-round mountain destination?

Laqlouq: Lebanon's next year-round mountain destination?

For decades, mountain real estate in Lebanon has followed a fairly predictable rhythm.

Winter meant skiing.
Summer meant escaping the heat.
And in between, many mountain homes remained closed.

But I believe this model is starting to change.

Today, people are looking differently at the mountains. They are not simply searching for a chalet to use a few weekends a year. Increasingly, they want places where they can actually spend time, live, work, eat, exercise and enjoy nature throughout the year.

And this is where Laqlouq becomes particularly interesting.

At around 1,700 metres above sea level, and roughly 25 minutes from Jbeil, Laqlouq has many of the natural ingredients of a genuine mountain destination: snow in winter, cool summers, spectacular landscapes, hiking and outdoor activities.

And compared with more established destinations such as Faraya or Faqra, much of Laqlouq's potential remains untapped.

From a real estate perspective, this raises an interesting question:

What happens to property values when a seasonal destination becomes a year-round destination?

In my 26 years in this market, I've watched this transition happen elsewhere. And the answer has less to do with the properties themselves than we sometimes think.

You can build beautiful chalets with exceptional views. But if there is nowhere to have dinner, nowhere to meet people, limited activities and difficult access, owners will inevitably use them less.

And low occupancy creates a cycle: fewer residents mean fewer businesses, and fewer businesses give residents fewer reasons to stay.

Breaking that cycle requires thinking beyond individual buildings.

Good roads matter.
Restaurants matter.
Walking trails and outdoor activities matter.
Sports and wellness facilities matter.
Public spaces matter.

Most importantly, community matters.

The strongest mountain destinations are not simply collections of second homes. They become ecosystems where residents, visitors and local communities interact.

I believe Laqlouq has an opportunity to evolve in exactly this direction.

Not by becoming another overdeveloped mountain resort, but by preserving what makes it attractive in the first place while creating enough infrastructure, activities and experiences to make people want to stay longer.

Because ultimately, the future of mountain real estate in Lebanon may not be about building more chalets.

It may be about giving people more reasons to live there.

Could Laqlouq become Lebanon’s next true year-round mountain destination?

Local Intelligence. Global Standards.
JSK Real Estate