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Skip Navigation LinksHome :: Back Issues :: Much potential in the Syrian tourism industry

July 2001

Much potential in the Syrian tourism industry


Although relatively underdeveloped, tourism is already Syria's second-biggest foreign exchange earner. With infrastructural and personnel development it could be even more lucrative.




       
Palmyra: there are thousands of ancient monuments
and sites in Syria which boasts the oldest continually-
inhabited cities on earth

In spite of its plentiful natural resources, Syria is keenly aware of the need to develop new industries to counter long-term unemployment. Perhaps the most obvious example of this commitment is tourism, which, after oil, is already the second largest generator of foreign currency, accounting for inflows of about $1.5 billion in 1999, some 4% of GDP. Under a 20-year plan drawn up by the Ministry of Tourism, Syria aims to attract 7 million tourists a year, compared with the current 2.5 million, chiefly arrivals from the neighbouring states of Jordan and Lebanon, as well as from the Gulf.
European visitor numbers also starting to increase, and attests to the potential of tourism. The cities of Aleppo and Damascus both lay claim to being the oldest continually inhabited urban districts in the world, although historians seem to give this accolade to Aleppo (the capital of northern Syria), which was established as the capital of the Amorite kingdom of Yamkhad around 1780BC. Irrespective of which city is the oldest, for tourists with an interest in classical history, the architectural attractions of Syria are plentiful.
There are almost 4,000 individual attractions and monuments, with the most spectacular including Palmyra, ancient towns such as Apamea and Aleppo, and castles such as Krak, Margat and Saone, all of which played important roles in the Crusades.
Aside from its historical attractions, Syria insists that it has plenty of others to offer to tourists. The warm weather is one obvious attraction, with the summer-long sun a powerful draw for visitors from western Europe. Another is the shopping potential, with Aleppo reportedly home to the busiest souks - spread over 12 kilometres - in the Middle East. And for those looking for the authentic Bedouin experience, tour operating companies will go the extra mile in recreating history. In its Incentive Manual for Syria, Jordan and Lebanon, Adonis Travel&Tourism tells its clients that "for travellers an attack by Bedouins or bandits used to be the biggest risk during their trips through the desert or other deserted regions." In order to add a touch of realism to its tours, Adonis advises that "Bedouins will attack the bus and our guests will be forced to follow them. Then, the Bedouins will show their second face and offer them the protection of the tribe and ... a drink and some sweets as a sign of their hospitality."
Syria is much easier to reach these days than it was in the mid-1990s. British Airways now offers a regular service linking the UK and Syria through its British Mediterranean Airlines subsidiary, which also includes the only direct air link between London and Aleppo, launched in June 2000. Other European airlines offering a direct service to Damascus include Air France, Alitalia, Austrian Airlines, KLM and Lufthansa. No US carriers presently fly into Syria.
Syrian Arab Airlines, which is being rebranded as Syrianair, recently added five new Airbus aircraft to its fleet, and posted an increase in passenger traffic of more than 40% during the course of the 1990s, making it one of the region's fastest-growing airlines.
Heavy investment will be required in other areas if Syria is to capitalize on opportunities in the tourism sector, with hotels one obvious example. As one local observer points out: "Aleppo, which is a city of over 3 million people, only has one five-star hotel. And Damascus only has three, whereas Amman in Jordan has five times that number."
Although hotels of the highest quality may be thin on the ground in Aleppo - the Shahba Cham Palace is the only one offering genuine luxury - the city can boast Syria's most famous hotel. Visitors to the Baron Hotel, which is close to the archaeological museum, have included Lawrence of Arabia, Agatha Christie and General de Gaulle. But as a Neos Guide to Syria says: "Today it looks a little worn and could do with a facelift, but is still worth a stay, even if the electricity, plumbing and beds would seem to date from its early days."
Hotel building boom
Progress is being made in the development of a tourism infrastructure with construction already under way, for example, at the new Four Seasons Hotel in Central Damascus, while Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide, which currently manages the Sheraton in Damascus, is planning to add to its Syrian portfolio with the construction of the Sheraton Sednaya and the Sheraton Aleppo Hotel&Towers.
       
Japanese tourists in Damascus might
soon visit the Hard Rock Café
Progress is also being made in upgrading Damascus's international airport, which was originally built in the mid 1980s but remained more or less neglected until last year, when $10 million was spent on upgrading the terminal facilities adding some 200 square metres to the departure area. More recently, plans have been unveiled for a $56 million two-year modernization programme at the airport, designed to double its capacity to 5 million passengers per year.
But it is not just investment in the infrastructure that needs to step up a gear if Syria is to realize a fraction of its tourism potential. At least as important is the pressing need to slash away at the red tape that can act as a powerful deterrent for would-be visitors. In particular, the procedure for securing a Syrian visa can be tortuous and time-consuming, especially for independent travellers. Speeding this procedure up would clearly be a helpful way of promoting more tourist arrivals.
Increased investment in training workers in the developing tourism industry who interact with visitors from overseas is also vital. As in other centrally planned economies, a service mentality is not one that has been well developed in Syria, and there is a pressing need for training of hotel staff, tour guides and other individuals employed in the industry.
One company demonstrating its faith in the potential of the tourism sector is Saudi Binladin, which has a range of interests including the Middle Eastern franchise for the Hard Rock Café. A branch in a beach-front location in Beirut has been highly successful and another will soon be up and running in Damascus. Elsewhere in the industry, the Binladin group is building a tourism resort in Latakia on the Syrian west coast that will offer 370 rooms and suites and 50 chalets and bungalows.
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