Economy
Deir el Ahmar's location in the fertile Beqaa Valley makes agriculture its main economical activity. The town produces jam, jelly, marmalade, and dairy products as well as handcrafts, such as pottery, crochet, and lace.
Deir el Ahmar, like the rest of the Beqaa Valley, has good potential for tourism due to the mild climate, pristine nature, and the variety of historical and archaeological sites. Ecotourism, especially natural excursions and hiking trips are becoming more popular in the region of Deir el Ahmar. Tourists also visit the local organic farms and participate in farming activities. However, the tourism sector remains mostly underdeveloped in Deir el Ahmar. Hotels or Motels are abandoned because of the hospitality idea that says: visitors are wellcome and they may choose any house to come in and stay . An economical and demographic study conducted in Deir el Ahmar by Dr Gaby Saliba in 2001 highlights the following problems:
- High emigration of youth (62% of population) and still increasing mainly caused by the lack of high education institutions, and the nearest university is 40 minutes away.
- Deficient role of the women in development
- High rates of Unemployment
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