Syria: The tourism vision that was

Before the tremendous uproar on the streets of Lebanon for immediate Syrian withdrawal as a result of the assassination of Rafik Hariri, tourism officials in Syria were reporting positively on 2004 arrivals and potential increase in tourism revenue forecast this year.

Tourism Deputy Minister Mohamad Kalach told eTurbo News the department was contemplating on increased tourism marketing to Europe as Europeans don’t need visas to enter Syria. For other nationalities, visas can be obtained at the airport or any point of entry. Further, since Arab tourists do not need visas, he hoped for substantial growth in incoming Middle East guests.

Kalach said there had been an increase in 2004 in the number of one-day visitors to 6 million compared to 4.3 million in 2003. Arrivals with room stays rose from 3.1 million to 4.3 million. He said the country expected to reach $2 billion in receipts and to generate 100,000 job opportunities before the close of 2009. Of the total, 74 percent (the Arabs) stay in furnished apartments generating 8 million nights overall. Foreign arrivals cover 48 percent of total pulling tourist room nights up by 93 percent last year.

“The tourism ministry is working on increasing flights to Syria through the introduction of new private companies to civil aviation. The department of civil aviation is working on improving facilities and enlarging carrier capacity. We also focus on improving the quality of tourism products, regulating prices and promoting shopping festivals to serve different categories and needs of tourists. We are also in the process of establishing a tourism promotion agency,” said Kalach.

Two promotional campaigns were on the table for Syria; one dedicated to Arabs and one to foreigners. Arabs usually come in the summer for 3 months and stay in resorts and apartments; foreign guests are interested in cultural tourism and stay for shorter periods at city hotels. interested in cultural tourism and stay for shorter periods at city hotels.

Since Syria is famous for its archaeological sites, most events are themed on history and culture to which the revival in European arrivals after September 11 has been devoted. Over 3000 archaeological sites and 35 different civilizations constitute Syria’s ancient history from the Sumerian, Amorite and Byzantine, to the Gassanid, Islamic and Ottoman.

In a bid to revive its tourism industry following the global recession, Syria celebrates August 2nd till 12th the Al Mahaba Festival followed by two other international events dubbed The Silk Road Festival from the 27th- 30th September and the Bosra International festival, held every other year in September. These festivities are major cultural events intended to draw international crowds. In the first 9 months of 2004, there had been a 78 percent rise in Europeans compared to the same period year previous, due to events.

The ministry reported 3000 new beds had been added in 2004 and that 4000 more will be included to the curr additional beds before 2010. Through private sector projects and new investment ordinances allowing businessmen to own and operate the projects and re-export capital within 5 years and re-export benefits within a year, the tourism trade was looking up.

In the recent years, the government has recognized the potential of the industry, so it adopted measures to develop the sector by rescheduling loans for tourist projects under construction through decree no. 29 of July 2003. The declaration did not only expedite the completion of 200 pending projects, it also kicked off the ground-breaking for properties owned or managed by international chains.

Hotel inventory totaled 36,000 beds, expected to increase to 170,000 in the next 14 years. More licenses were given out to the tourism sector, especially those on management contracts. Four Seasons Hotel landed in Damascus with a huge bang; so did a large-scale tourism venture in Tartous called Antaradus Complex, Afamia Resort in Latakia, the Assad Lake Tourist Complex, to name but a few.

Implementing policies for investments through a new investment law, working to put together an integrated tourism product, encouraging the private sector to train people for the service were more or less, Kalach’s resolve to the situation saddled by crisis with its neighbors.

On a lighter note, he promoted the investment market conference he said he looks forward to this coming April as tourism is Syria’s viable economic locomotive. Participation in overseas trade fairs and in human resources training and development helped them in promotion and marketing. The ministry also developed an internet site featuring important information on tourism.

However Kalach raised concerns about Syria facing a lot of difficulties.
Syrians recognized while the Arab market is huge for them, the trade wasn’t influenced by issues with Lebanon (at the time). The country receives annually about 1 million Lebanese who come for a day for shopping. But as there is tension on the political front, so are there compounding security issues at different airports. To Kalach, this was the more obvious hurdle.

Without a shadow of a doubt today, Syrian tourism officials are in limbo much are the troops resisting exit from the lush Bekaa Valley.

By Hazel Heyer
BEIRUT (eTurboNews)