BEIRUT: Passenger traffic at the Rafik Hariri Beirut Airport increased 6 percent to 549,000 in June year over year, despite a struggling tourism season.

The total number of passengers in the first half of 2012 increased to 2.785 million, 12.5 percent higher than same period in 2011.

The higher number of passengers came in spite of a sustained decline in tourists. The number of tourists visiting Lebanon declined to 556,558 in the first five month of 2012, more than 6 percent lower than last year.

Incoming passengers increased 2.64 percent in June ,while outbound passengers increased 10.8 percent, the report issued by the Directorate General of Aviation said.

Despite the number of outbound and inbound flights both increasing by 8.19 percent and 8.29 percent respectively, the total number of flights declined 5.78 percent in June after transit flights plummeted 20 percent.

The number of private jet flights also declined 16.6 percent.

Air imports and exports both increased by 12.27 and 25.51 percent respectively.