0 SAAD TRANSPORT SAL

Founded in 1929 by Victor T. Saad, SAAD Transport began its operation as a transport company providing the first private bus service for travelers between Beirut the capital and Lebanon’s second largest city, Tripoli. As a young entrepreneur, the founder saw the opportunity to reinforce Lebanon’s position as a preferred tourist destination. To build on the company’s success and extend its services to meet new and challenging market dynamics, Victor and Charles Saad formed a joint venture in 1945 and injected new capital and soon established the Charles and Victor Saad Est. with two main divisions, Saad Co. for Trading and SAAD Transport. The partnership between the entrepreneurship of Victor Saad and the cultural background and rich knowledge of Charles Saad played an important role in planning the development and expansion of Saad Transport’s activities. In 1950, Saad Transport became an IATA member and founded the first Lebanese air charter company. It started with two twelve-seat planes to serve the executive travelers within the Gulf and Levant regions. The project was soon abandoned due to the premature market and Saad Transport sold its license to an air cargo company (TMA), which is still operating to-date. With the promise of always staying ahead, Saad Transport invested heavily and introduced the 1st Pullman bus to Lebanon, a German Neoplan in 1953. Between 1950 and 1975, the fleet of busses served the tourist industry in Lebanon, Syria and Jordan. And in 1973, the company imported the first Turkish manufactured Mercedes Pullmans to the country... As a pioneer in the Tourism and Transport industries, SAAD Transport was the first company to handle organized international conferences and large events in Lebanon. In 1963, SAAD Transport handled the largest conference ever held in the Middle East at the time for the World Baptist Youth Organization at Camile Chamoun Cité Sportive, hosting over 3,500 participant. In 1975, during the difficult civil war, SAAD Transport teamed up with Loomis to introduce the first door-to-door courier service to and from Lebanon facilitating the financial and corporate institutions’ operations up until the early 90’s. Recognized for its outstanding services, SAAD Transport handled a number of international events and became affiliated with several local and international associations. IATA member for travel and cargo since 1950, the company’s founder and managing director, Victor Saad, participated in the industry development and initiated many projects. The business was passed on from one generation to the next when Ghassan Victor Saad took over with the same entrepreneurial spirit and the motivation to build on the previous successes. He reinforced the company’s long-term legacy and led the foundations to a brighter future by managing the company in the glorious days of Lebanon and throughout the destructive 17-year civil war, which totally abolished Lebanon as a renown tourism destination.