Syria requires as much as $100 billion in investment over the next seven years to revive its tourism sector as the country seeks to bring back international visitors and create jobs, its Tourism Minister has said.
The country aims to attract funds to rehabilitate its cultural heritage sites, rebuild hotels, construct new resorts and entertainment cities and overhaul its infrastructure to welcome domestic and international visitors, Mazen Al Salhani told The National.
Investors are visiting Syria to explore opportunities in the sector following the 14-year civil war that ended with the toppling of the regime of Bashar Al Assad.
“We are talking to all the businessmen who had pending investments that were paused due to the war and the previous regime. We've amended our investment laws to help them return to building hotels,” Mr Al Salhani said.
“All the investments in touristic destinations, restoration of monuments and rebuilding historical cities in co-operation with Unesco, we're looking at about $100 billion.”
According to Ministry of Tourism data, 1,468 tourism establishments across Syria require redevelopment or reactivation, representing a “substantial” pipeline for local, regional and international investors.
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Syria is gradually rebuilding its long-dormant tourism sector after the civil war and sanc
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