BEIRUT The International Finance Corp. will provide up to dlrs 11.5 million to a Lebanese company for the development of two hotels and four restaurants in Lebanon, the IFC announced Thursday. Idarat Investment Corp., a tourism company owned by Lebanese businessman Bechara Nammour, has opened six hotels and 15 restaurants in Lebanon in the past five years. It also has holdings in the United States and France. The IFC said in a statement it plans an equity investment of dlrs 1.5 million and a loan of dlrs 10 million.

Tourism has been picking up amid Lebanon's multi-billion dollar program of reconstruction follow the 1975-90 civil war. IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, helps to finance private sector projects in developing countries. (AP)