Syria, Pakistan to enhance cooperation in the field of tourism  

Damascus, (ST) – Minister of Tourism Eng. Mohammad Rami Martini discussed during his meeting today with the Pakistani Ambassador Shahid Akhtar in Damascus, and a number of Pakistani tourism office owners at the ministry building, ways to enhance and expand tourism between the two countries.

In a statement to SANA reporter, Minister Martini stressed the depth of the historical relations between the two countries, which are constantly developing with the development of economic relations, especially in the tourism sector, as the number of Pakistani visitors last year reached 22 thousand visitors for cultural and religious tourism purposes.

Martini said that the group that was hosted includes the largest businessmen in the field of investment and tourism and travel offices.

He also said: We encourage tourism from Syria to Pakistan, as it is a beautiful and very rich country, and is characterized by a good and low-cost tourism product.

Minister, Martini indicated that the ministry is working to expand the scope of tourism cooperation to make tourism integrated to include shopping, visiting natural archaeological sites, beach tourism, families and youth, and activating air transportation, and we will also make similar visits to tourism offices in Pakistan.

For his part, the Pakistani ambassador to Damascus clarfied that the visit of tourism offices to Syria today comes to explore Syria after the war and to see the status of tourism companies and the services provided in the tourism sector, noting that there are several Syrian tourism companies that will visit Pakistan during the coming period to coordinate the exchange of tourist groups between the two countries.

In turn, the Director of Marketing and Tourism Media at the Ministry,Eng. Ruba Sasila indicated that the Pakistani tourism delegation represents various regions and tourism sectors, and during the visit, communication between tourism and travel offices was strengthened, the best tourism offers were presented, and the facilities provided by the Ministry, such as the electronic tourist visa, were introduced.

In turn, a number of Pakistani tourism office owners expressed their admiration for the tourist and archaeological sites they saw. Amer Ali, owner of Solwaz Tourism Company, who specializes in food trips.

They indicated that they visited Damascus, Homs, Tartous, Latakia, and Aleppo, pointing out the vitality and determination of the Syrian people to continue their normal lives after years of war.

Meanwhile, Hassan Pakistan, who has been working in the tourism sector for more than 11 years and owns several tourism offices in Pakistan, the Maldives, and London, indicated that he will attract tourists from different countries to visit Syria, based on the fact that tourism is the best way to communicate between peoples.

Meanwhile, Ihtisham Mansour from Kashmir said that he would work to attract tourists interested in culture to visit archaeological and heritage sites in Syria. He expressed his admiration for the Syrian cuisine, “Shami and Halabi.”

Raghda Sawas