Gulf states may soon lift the travel bans they had imposed on Lebanon in recent years, Prime Minister Saad Hariri has announced.

“Gulf states are mulling re-allowing their citizens to visit Lebanon,” Hariri revealed.

“This would reflect positively on the tourism sector and on the economy in general,” the prime minister added.

Hariri was in Saudi Arabia last week.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Kuwait had in November warned their citizens against travel to Lebanon, amid a Lebanese-Saudi crisis sparked by Hariri's controversial resignation from Riyadh which he has since rescinded.

Saudi Arabia said at the time that it considers Hizbullah's participation in the Lebanese government an "act of war" against the kingdom.

Several Lebanon travel warnings have been issued by the Gulf states in recent years amid political tensions and security fears.