Turning sightseeing into an industry

Walking through the winding streets of the Old City in Damascus, one cannot help but feel that they are at the crossroads of civilization in the world’s oldest inhabited city. The Old City, along with other historical and archeological sites spread out across the country, and the renowned friendliness of the Syrian people have the potential to make Syria a future hot spot for tourism in the Middle East.

Although the tourism industry has been increasing over the past few years, Syria remains untapped as the perception of the country, particularly in the Western world, remains mostly negative. The tourism industry is a significant component of the Syrian economy and its importance to the economy will continue to increase in the years ahead.

According to the Ministry of Tourism, in 2008 tourism grew 15% from 2007, provides 13% of job opportunities, and constitutes 14.5% of the country’s GDP. When it comes to historical sites, Syria has much to offer. The Old City in Damascus alone has the Umayyad mosque, some of the world’s oldest churches, Souq al-Hamidiya, Bab Touma, markets, and bath houses.

As a more recent phenomenon, several boutique hotels, cafes, and restaurants have opened, drawing people from around the world to Damascus. Across the country tourists will find a beautiful coast, and other historical sites such as the ruins of the ancient city of Palmyra, the Citadel in Aleppo, and other sites that attract thousands of religious pilgrims every year.

For instance, there’s Sayda Zainab, where the Prophet Muhammad’s granddaughter is buried, and Ma’lula, a city where one can find monasteries and inhabitants who speak Aramaic to this day. However, there are several internal and external challenges standing in the way of maximizing the potential of Syria’s tourism industry. It is apparent that the government is working on addressing some of these challenges by easing investment laws for foreign investors, working to restore historical sites, and improving infrastructure, but much more needs to be done.

Syria must continue to streamline its investment procedures for both local and foreign investors. Also, it must increase investments in infrastructure to improve water and electrical efficiency, roads and signs, and add hotels and restaurants to areas that are home to its most significant historical sites. Syria should also make tourism a more professional industry, regulated by high standards and spurred by tourism schools that license and train multi-lingual tour guides.

Additionally, visa requirements for foreigners, particularly Americans, are still too prohibitive. In Amman I have met several people, both American and European, who have had difficulty obtaining a visa to enter Syria or have waited several hours for a visa at the Jordanian-Syrian border only to be refused entry. In a region where Damascus, Beirut, and Amman are so close to each other, Syria would be well served by making it easier for tourists to freely move between the three cities.

Clearly security risks are a concern, but there are ways to circumvent this. One of which is to increase cooperation on security efforts with Jordan and Lebanon. The political climate also plays an important role, particularly in how Syria is perceived in the West. Westerners have a hard time believing that Syria is a safe and stable country. Part of this comes from perceptions created by the media, but Syria’s border with Iraq, close relationship with Iran, and tension with Israel doesn’t help.

Although Syria has made recent diplomatic progress with the British, French, and the European Union, its relationship with the United States continues to be strained. Many Western companies are still deterred by US sanctions against Syria. Political stability in the region, including Iraq and Lebanon, would benefit Syria and its economy. In addition, an agreement between Syria and Israel, with Israel returning the Golan Heights to Syria for normalized relations, would go even further and likely increase economic ties and investment from the United States and the European Union.

Syria’s tourism industry will surely grow, the question is how quickly and in what form. It is a country that has the potential to overtake Jordan and perhaps even compete with Egypt in terms of its attractiveness to travelers, and is conveniently located in the heart of the Middle East. However, significant political and economic challenges lie ahead. Making smart decisions and appropriate changes can allow Syria’s tourism industry to reach the next level and become a stronger pillar of the country’s economic structure.