syria

With visions of a large tourism development in Syria, which is one of the most important tourist countries worldwide to contain the oldest tourist attractions varied for different religions and civilizations, is sweeping the country, the events do not resemble our hopes and expectations of the nation of us, though, so hopefully always good in our country and try to find aspects of the hard work, while the ambition is always more economic and social development which is in essence the process of comprehensive renaissance aimed at ridding the developing countries of dependency, which we classify as part of it, came the security situation in the country to delay and stop often the wheel of development, and the tourism sector is an important part of the reality of affected including revolves heavily and being a very important sector in the development of the Syrian economy, we tried to search for clues that show us hope from the heart of the crisis, perhaps contributing to the revitalization of our hopes in our ability to keep the wheel of development moving in the most difficult circumstances to prove that we are the people of the neighborhood unable to continue.
I have seen Syria before the crisis more than five years, a great revival in the tourism sector in the private sector jumped a quantum leap to the degree that he became in competition with the public sector and on a par with him often and become a tourism constitute a national resource essential accounted for revenues of about 14 percent of gross national , It is worth mentioning that the report of the International Council of travel and Tourism for the year 2009 indicated about the expected evolution of the travel and Tourism in Syria in 2010 that Syria made ​​six mattresses within the ranking ladder according to the relative size of Tourism of the gross national product, and reflect this change in position that the percentage contribution activities other economic such as industry and trade in the gross domestic product will grow in Syria, according to projections by the International Council of smaller than other states, has this indicates that the effects of the global financial crisis on tourism, the Syrian was less than their effects on other economic sectors in Syria.

New priorities
But with the entry of the crisis as a matter objected to all aspects of life suffered the tourism sector to shake, like other sectors, which was imposed on all employees of the new priorities and de facto new has to be taken seriously in order to avoid falling says Ghazi Nagar- director of restaurants and hotels in Damascus .. He adds: with Log crisis became the artisanal sector bears the brunt Absorb need visitors to our country with tell them, sector tourism semi-dependent and most of the investors who came intent to invest to Syria stopped their investments and left the country under these conditions and remained the load on the craftsman who continued to operate and provide services despite the difficult circumstances experienced by the especially in some places tense .. and do not forget also the lack of capital and the large losses that we are exposed to and the lack of support from any quarter prices multiply and the citizen is unable to afford that increase prices and also we artisans do not appreciate that raise prices and we can not continue to price old because we are not able to afford the price difference for not we get a good profit in these circumstances, so must the Ministry of Tourism to bear its responsibilities towards us and take the subject of these installations and works with interest because foreign tourists if they wanted to recognize the Syrian these facilities and these artisans have the biggest role in provide culture of the country starting from the food with local character and popular areas that reflect our culture more than tourist establishments huge which is not nothing new to foreign .. I must express my culture everything and oldest tourist and here lies the importance of the so-called installations popular because they reflect the culture of an entire people is therefore very dangerous accusing them of abusing the country because of these facilities in recent years has evolved a lot in the decoration and the quality of services and dealing and the quality of the product provided and this came as a result of continuous communication with artisans, courses and follow-up and take advantage of the other, and that our association.
The problem now is to show achievements on the ground has been launched and the Ministry of Tourism since 2006, and many promises to achieve great achievements did not get it so it turned to the achievements at the expense of the sector popular converting to the classification of tourism, has been exploiting the subject of religious visits and its subsidiaries such as hotels and annexation of the achievements of the Ministry of Tourism to cover failure in achievement.
With this do not forget that the Syrian tourism has a lot of strengths that will help in this situation to stand for the rest of Syria, capital always as a tourist is very important in the region and the world and here sees Mohammed Saeed Alamad- Chairman of the Board of the Chamber of Tourism Damascus that there are a number of factors such as security, stability and efforts that have been made from the state represented by the Ministry of Tourism and the effective participation of the private sector and the owners of tourism activities, particularly institutions organize excursions, which manifested itself in the programming campaigns, promotion of tourism in most global markets and posts in the most important exhibitions and the establishment of weeks promotional Syrian tourism in many countries and presence in international forums, as well as the improvement of the tourism product Syrian, these factors have contributed to creating the conditions for the Syrian tourism for the development and contribute to showing the face of tourism Orient Syria and access to a center of excellence on the tourist map of international and do not forget in this regard the efforts made in order to broaden the base of tourism infrastructure and strive to attract foreign investment and provide climate for it in order to supplement the tourist market facilities modern and sophisticated bed and feeding and transport and is this what contributes to achieving the desired balance between supply and demand in the tourism market which allowed the Syrian tourism in the pre-crisis period to take a leading position in the statistics and comparisons are all on the international level, both in the field of competition or attract investment.
But despite all these efforts mentioned only that the reality of tourism today in Syria in the current circumstances occurred under the heavy burden which cast a shadow on the tourism sector during the current crisis, which led to our loss most of the strengths of the positive while superseded the weaknesses of many, both for the campaign that our country is facing and what shrouded in conditions of security or for severe and unjust sanctions which led to the deterioration of tourist activity significantly add to warn or prevent many of the countries of its citizens from traveling to Syria.
Hopes to resolve the ongoing
Security conditions that cast a shadow over all of our lives in our country Syria multiplied hardships placed upon us in all areas related to all aspects of our lives, therefore it is important is to adopt strategies for mitigating and this applies to the field of tourism is also here confirms Mohammed Saeed, General that there are efforts being made in order to open new markets we can with it to compensate what has been lost as a result we lost markets which were an anchor important for tourists coming to Qatar, but this work requires considerable time and effort and cost of high note that these procedures do not bear fruit usually in a short time, however, efforts are joining forces at the present time to work to achieve a quantum leap in this area that can alleviate this crisis on the tourism sector and most of the activity room tourism Damascus since the emergence of the manifestations of the crisis has focused on the treatment of the manifestations of the crisis, which reflected tourism organizations different, such as hotels, restaurants and other tourism events, which focused mainly on finding solutions that will alleviate conditions and bad repercussions on the tourism activities were financial or logistical or procedural, what allows them to pursue their activities even at the minimum and maintain the facilities and not to resort to lay off labor.
We have many of the demands we offer in this regard is reflected in the quest to reduce the cost elements of the tourism product refresh tourism activity and the reduction of taxes, fees and distribution fee consumer spending segments commensurate with the classification level of the institution, which has responded to him and the Ministry of Finance, thankfully, and simplify licensing procedures for tourism projects and mediate to reschedule loans to enterprises tourism without interest or penalties and the quest for installment consumption values ​​tourist facilities of electricity, in addition to securing provide tourist facilities for their needs from the subjects of gas and fuel oil and the demand to postpone the repayment of share employers tourist facilities for their workers to the Social Insurance Institution and support the owners of tourist activities with bank loans, concessional or grant them facilities banking credit to ensure their activities to be able to repay the operational spending.
Available alternatives
To be in these circumstances that there will be hard work by all parties to get the alternatives, which gives the results of the feasibility of its effectiveness to deal with the crisis, the overall existing and so requires a good approach in crisis management and expertise so necessary .. In this context, says Faisal Necati: No doubt in the tourism sector was affected clearly, tourism is linked to the movement come from abroad, and forms to come to Syria variety, both Arab tourism or foreign, and the tourist is always looking for a safe place, has given the crisis image abroad that Syria is a place difficult to visit, and to ease the burden and the Ministry agreed to granting of such facilities in light of the capacity of state-owned matter what the ministry mitigate the loss as much as possible, especially with regard to labor became installations where ease of workers during the crisis.
The ministry is currently pursuing a policy management activity during the crisis where he developed plans and studies to work, and was heading for the purposes of the new tourism can be a viable, including religious tourism, and through observation of the movement of tourism and found that religious tourism is the only sector worker in this period despite a decline in the number for the rest of the year only that the numbers of expatriate is still good by visiting shrines and mausoleums in Damascus and its suburbs, has been bringing the Directorate of religious Tourism interesting this subject .. Syria contain a lot of shrines and shrines and churches, we have developed plans and visions for the development of the tourism product of religious Muslim and Christian, have participated in shows outside the country, despite the reduction our participation significantly but we participated in several exhibitions have been focusing on religious tourism in Iran and India in Moscow exhibition of pictures of the tourist areas of religious in the Church of Christ the Savior, where was sent paintings and is one of the most important exhibitions and these countries from major countries exporting religious tourism to Syria Christian and Muslim, and there are workshops for religious tourism to develop .. the private sector was invited to participate and to put forward their point of view and cooperation in the coming years at the level of this tourism ..
He adds that other sectors stagnated so above what affected the tourism sector is the revenue there is revenue to the state and there are revenues to the private sector, which is a partner of the foundation of the public sector, and that the introduction of hard currency, and the movement of restaurants and hotels, where it decreased work dramatically
Remains constant communication during the crisis between the public and private sector through the Chambers of Tourism, has been put forward several solutions between the two sectors by the postponement of the loans and lowering prices ..
Religious tourism as an alternative available
He Necati on the subject of alternatives and solutions concerning the crisis: Tourism in general is an economic activity in terms of the operation of labor and tourist facilities and the region containing the active tourist area is very important and what concerns us from the development of religious tourism is the diversity of the visits to the various regions of the country and not limited to one area what gives diversity in economic activity, geographical as there are active tourist internally .. Many of the people within the country moving from one governorate to another intent to visit a religious site specific, whether a church or a mosque or during religious occasions different, as well as from neighboring countries and this issue needs to promote greater .. and yet still offices guides and hotels that deal with coming with a view of religious tourism and put good .. compared to areas that deal with foreign tourists Ktadmr and other terms of sandal activity dramatically .. The religious tourism are activity existed and continues even now, regarding compensation for affected tourism this issue is not on the table because of religious tourism still exist and all its subsidiaries are still operating at the same time religious tourism sector can not compensate for the loss of tourism in other sectors because each place certain privacy.
There continues with various destinations in general and particularly in workshops to develop a lot of sites Calcedh Zainab, for example, The issue of the development of Sayeda Zeinab is linked to the development of roads and providing health and medical services, and this work continued to government agencies also intersects worked with committees shrine Sayeda Zeinab however concerned Balbtrkiyat and shrines other all the shrines religious and civil associations association Friends Maloula involved in developing the town Maloula, the private sector and religious figures are important in the cooperation with them directly.
On the subject of achievement in religious tourism adds: religious tourism exist in the world and classified Xiahh in all international classifications and in all international tourism organizations and this is not Achteraana, Syria is the most important countries in the world that attract religious tourism for the rich holy places of all religions and sects can not be deny it contains all the qualifications of religious tourism actual, a visitor religious lives in a hotel and eat at a restaurant and riding a plane and board a bus and buy tickets to travel and buy gifts any he spent on his residence here, and this proves that he is no different from any tourist is a place visit is intended, there is a tourist visiting a museum and last visiting the shrine.
We are working to enrich trips and visits religious and tourist guides rehabilitation specialists subject of religious tourism.
Despite the importance of Syria as a beautiful tourist .. but it can be said: It is still in need of major work to become in a position neighboring countries, at least in spite of the availability of the necessary expertise to the sons of Syria, but it is important to bring these experiences and given the opportunity, which did not find only abroad, especially now in the With this crisis, instead of granting opportunities and facilities for the foreign investor, who did not contribute to the development of tourism, only a little, because the sons of Syria, first to their land.