Syria bets on tourism revival, but visitor surge faces test of security, services

Syria's tourism ministry reports 3.52 million visitors in the first half of 2026, up 111% from last year, but most were Syrian expatriates. Non-Arab foreign tourists rose 448% to 719,000, and Arab tourists increased 107% to 664,000. The sector faces challenges in security, services, and data transparency.

Syria is betting on tourism as a quick source of jobs and foreign currency, but the sector's revival faces tests of security, services, and the composition of visitors. The Tourism Ministry reports 3.52 million visitors in the first half of 2026, up 111% from 1.67 million in the same period last year. However, most of these were Syrian expatriates (2.13 million), not traditional tourists. Non-Arab foreign tourists reached 719,000, up 448%, and Arab tourists rose 107% to 664,000. Top foreign markets included Turkey, Germany, Sweden, the US, the Netherlands, Canada, and the UK; Jordan led Arab markets. The article notes that the classification system counts Syrians arriving from abroad as visitors, which may inflate the figures. Hotel occupancy and tourist numbers reportedly increased 150-200% year-on-year, according to Tourism Minister Mazen al-Salhani, but the ministry has not published overall occupancy rates or spending data. Syria has over 4,500 registered archaeological sites, including six UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and 348 hotels, with 227 in Damascus. A young Syrian team is developing a multilingual tourism platform to improve digital services. The first refresher course for tour guides since Law No. 29 of 2024 was held virtually, with 101 participants. Individual accounts from a tour guide, hotel receptionist, and tourists highlight both improvements and ongoing challenges, such as currency transition issues and the need for better organization.