Setting Up National Company to Manage Hotels, Tourist Facilities

DAMASCUS, (ST) – Minister of Tourism eng. Hala Al-Nasser said that the ministry is planning to set up a national company to manage private hotels and tourist facilities which were run by foreign companies earlier and that the ministry needs an investor who has the appropriate financial potential to cover the cost.

 During a meeting held here yesterday with a number of representatives of trade and vocational unions, the minister pointed out that the ministry had received many offers from some investors, but it prefers one of its unionist or vocational partners to contribute to the perfect management of these hotels and facilities.

She explained the importance of cooperation between the ministry and the vocational unions and associations and of benefitting from the expertise of qualified national cadres so as to face the consequences of the aggression Syria has been suffering from in the tourism sector. She pointed to the ministry’s desire to benefit from local investments in boosting tourism and to provide good tourist services.

The Minister also called for speeding up the construction of new tourist facilities and reviewed contracts signed previously with foreign companies. She said all investment projects, which will be put for investment by the ministry, can be debated in accordance with the laws and regulations.

For his part, Director of Tourism Projects at the Ministry, Ghiath Al Farrah, reviewed a number of sites owned by the Ministry of Tourism and ready for tourist investment in a number of Syrian governorates and discussed the costs of implementing these projects.

Representatives of vocational unions and associations expressed their desire to study the projects offered for tourism investment and present them to the boards of trade and vocational unions so as to evaluate their economic feasibility.

SH/Kh