Busra al-Sham city witnesses increase in visits by foreign and local tourist delegations

The city of Busra al-Sham in Daraa Governorate is witnessing a noticeable increase in the number of tourists from various countries of the world who go to its archaeological site to see its historical monuments and to be briefed on its ancient civilization.

Director of the Tourist Information Center in the city of Busra, Muhammad al-Miqdad, noted in a statement to SANA  that since the beginning of last March, more than 25 tourist delegations, including hundreds of tourists from European and Asian countries, in addition to more than five thousand local visitors have visited the city of Busra al-Sham.

Waseem Al-Bahra, a tourist guide, pointed out that the majority of delegations coming to the country come through tourist offices and through the Ministry of Tourism and according to programs set for the period of stay and the places to be visited.

Radwan Hassan, a tourist guide and coordinator, said that Busra al-Sham is a major stop for delegations, especially Asian ones. The city’s containment of monuments of successive civilizations makes it a destination for tourists, he added, noting that there are constant requests from tourists to return to Busra again.

Dareen Lubbos, owner of a tourism office in Lebanon, confirmed that the diversity of successive civilizations and the continuous interest of those concerned with the tourism sector in Syria in terms of following up on ongoing restoration and cleaning work make the  archaeological sites in Busra al-Sham have great importance.

Head of Busra Antiquities Department, Alaa Al-Salah, underlined the importance of the restoration work carried out by the General Directorate of Antiquities and Museums, especially in the citadel and the theater. He highlighted the importance of the existing cooperation with UNESCO to restore some sites, such as the bed of the King’s daughter, since the city is registered on the World Heritage Lists.

Head of Daraa Tourism Directorate, Yasser Al-Saadi, confirmed that the city is one of the most important tourist and archaeological areas in the East. He pointed to the increase in foreign and internal delegations, considering this a recovery point for tourism in Syria. He highlighted the increase in the number of shops and bazaars that provide tourists with all the necessary products that express the region’s heritage.

Busra City Council President Suleiman Al-Shahma noted that the city contains 45 archaeological monuments registered on the World Heritage List, including the theater, the castle, monasteries, churches, mosques and palaces, indicating that work is being done to highlight some of the crafts and professions that will stimulate the tourism business, such as weaving Arab rugs, making popular foods, and others.

Inas Abdulkareem