Syrian Tourism: Damascus' attraction plan

The war in Lebanon has not done Syria's tourism industry any favours. 'I have a group coming in two weeks,' says a local guide in Damascus. 'A one-person group?' jokes his colleague.

By rights, the industry should be thriving. Syria has all the ingredients a traveller could want, from the Mediterranean climate and varied landscapes to the rich cultural heritage. Damascus is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. Aleppo, Syria's second largest city, has occupied its present site from around 5,000 BC. And in the middle of the eastern desert lie the ruins of the ancient kingdom of Palmyra 'Bride of the Desert' that local tradition says was founded by King Solomon.

Located on the famous Silk Road, stretching from China to the Mediterranean, all three were destined to become major trading hubs. The government is now trying to put those sites back on the map. Every year the Tourism Ministry hosts the Silk Road Festival, which puts Syria's many attractions on display. In 2006, the festival coincides with World Tourism Day and with the selection of Aleppo as the capital of Islamic culture by the Islamic Educational, Scientific & Cultural Organisation (Isesco). This year has also seen the addition of two Syrian historical sites Crac des Chevaliers and Qalaat Saladin to the UN Educational, Scientific & Cultural Organisation's (Unesco) World Heritage list.

Despite the visible drop in tourist numbers, the government remains upbeat, particularly about investment in the sector. 'We were worried that recent events would affect investors' decisions,' says Prime Minister Mohamed Naji Otari. 'But we were surprised to see their intent and insistence to continue with their projects. Not one project has been cancelled. All investors have confirmed that their projects will go on.'

The 14 August ceasefire helped kick off the autumn season, which began in mid-September for European tourists. 'So far, all indicators show that it is very likely that the season will follow a satisfactory course, with more European tourists arriving between October and November,' says Tourism Minister Saadallah Agha Kala.

Syria had been enjoying a tourist revival. In the 1990s, the volume of visitors grew by an average of 8 per cent a year. From 2000-05, visitor numbers grew by 15 per cent year on year.

The government has quadrupled the Tourism Ministry's promotion budget for 2006 and 2007. 'We could not do much promotion before as any advertising needs to be closely linked to the accommodation available for visitors,' says Kala. 'Two years ago, it was difficult to find a good room in Aleppo.' There are currently 44,000 classified and 55,000 unclassified hotel beds in the country. With investment in tourism growing by 213 per cent between 2004 and 2005, marketing has become essential. As part of its promotion strategy, the Tourism Ministry plans to launch roadshows in a number of Gulf states, starting in April 2007.

About 74 per cent of Syria's tourists are from Arab countries and do not require a visa to enter. A further 13 per cent of visitors come from non-Arab Muslim countries, many as religious tourists. Finally, 13 per cent of holidaymakers are from the US and Europe.

In 2005, 3.4 million tourists flocked to Syria, with an additional 1 million Syrians who live abroad returning to holiday in the country. The year also saw $940 million invested into the tourism sector. The government expects this figure to exceed $1,000 million in 2006. 'At present, all indicators show that we will achieve that,' says Kala. By 2010, Syria hopes to attract at least 7 million tourists a year and reap $4,000 million in revenues.

Syria is actively seeking to tie tourism investment to regional development. Until 2003, 50 per cent of tourism activity centred on Damascus and its surrounding areas, with the other 50 per cent distributed across