Located in the heart of the Middle East, Syria is fast opening up to international travel, despite some strong disadvantages over the last few years such as the war in neighbouring Iraq as well as its own negative image within the international political arena. Strong anti-Israeli attitudes, suspected involvement in the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and accusations of support for militant groups like Hezbollah and Hamas contribute to some of the main obstacles in closing the gap in the relationship between Syria and the world. Some of these factors have a direct effect on tourism as visitors are still advised not to travel to Syria with a passport carrying an entry stamp from Israel.
Home to what is alleged to be the oldest inhabited city of Damascus, Syria boasts some of the oldest archaeological remains in the world. Its strategic position has secured it a prominent role in the development of trade and history across the centuries. The history of Damascus and Aleppo is shaped by their roles as key points in trade routes crossing Europe and Asia. The country is a meeting point of different religions, cultures and traditions.
In recent years, the Syrian government has been focusing on tourism, describing it as a sector of strategic importance and a source of valuable contribution to the economy. This has translated into active efforts to increase the number of visitors and their spending, as well as to attract more investment into the tourism sector. Since 2002, Syria has initiated active promotion in several regions seen as strategic sources of international visitors, including Europe, Turkey and some Gulf countries. It has also organised a series of annual tourism investment forums. In the last couple of years, the government has begun promoting complete investment projects with attached feasibility analyses.
Syria is certainly making some progress towards changing its image. The younger son of the former authoritarian president Hafez al-Assad, London-educated President Bashar al-Assad, succeeded the presidency after the death of his father in 2000. His older brother, originally due to succeed the presidency, was killed in an accident in 1994. Al-Assad’s rule is seen as milder than his father’s although in most official sources the ruling regime in the country is still described as authoritarian and dominated by the military.
It would be an overstatement to say that the country has moved into complete economic and political freedom. However, recent economic reforms such as private banking and active foreign investment promotion are steps in the right direction. These changes have led to the waving of some US sanctions, which has enabled Syrian Arab Airlines to finally import spare Boeing parts for its air fleet.
