The Lebanese government is planning a new tourism project in the Jbeil district located northeast of capital Beirut at an estimated cost of $8 to 10 million, said a report.

The project, to be developed in two phases, will be mostly funded by European firms, reported the businessnews.com.

In the first phase, an 6-km-long environmental corridor will be set up for pedestrians and bicycles to the Natural Reserve of Bentael, a village in the upper heights of the Jbeil caza, while the second phase will see the operation of a cable car from the Byblos coastal city to the Mar Charbel Monastery in Annaya,  which has an altitude of 1,000 m.

Senior officials from Poma, a global leader in urban ropeway transportation projects, are in Byblos, the capital of Jbeil district, to conduct studies and negotiations are under way with an Italian company, stated the report, citing its mayor Ziad Hawat.

An 80-year-old French company with subsidiaries in five continents, Poma has built over 8,000 installations in more than 80 countries.

“If this does not succeed, the local private sector will take up the initiative,” added Hawat.