Tourism Ministry Seeks to Establish its Identity as Distinct Tourist Destination

DAMASCUS, (ST) –  Through its promotional  plan for the year 2013 and within its available potentials, the Ministry of Tourism  seeks to exceed obstacles and problems and find exits contribute to the shaping of tourist aspects after the crisis ends.

The ministry’s plan includes activities and many events in the forefront of promoting the tourist project to Syria and establish its identity as a tourist destination on a distinguished list of the global tourism map where the ministry considers this project as an essential to its work as well as activating the tracks of religious tourism, the most important is the route of the Christian Maronite pilgrimage to Brad, the cradle of the Maronite world, alongside the tracks of ancient cities in the governorates by taking advantage of the project of tourist tracks in the old city of Damascus.

In a statement to SANA, Director of Marketing and Promotion at the Ministry of Tourism, Kauthar Mlessan, pointed out  that the promotional plan also includes re-activating the previous agreements with the Syrian Airline to provide cards airline or special discounts to the Ministry of Tourism that can be utilized in receptions projects, establishing international festivals and various tourist activities in Damascus and outside of Syrian cities, sponsoring festivals and activities and TV programs in addition to providing moral or financial support for the activities carried out by NGOs and private development initiatives that are held within the tourist and archaeological sites.

Perhaps the world fame of  al Warda al Shamia (Damascene Rose), the ambassador  of Damascus to the world,  made it an essential pillar of the ministry’s plan for this year and  devoted her a track includes tours on farms in the villages of al Marah and Ain al-Tineh as well as briefing on the tracks of the archaeological garden north of Aleppo, Idlib . This site is recorded on the list of World Heritage by placing plates to signify the names of villages and the shape of the track and the distance between them.

“In this framework the processes of  rehabilitation and investing some old  inns as as Khan al Arous and Khan al Ruz in cooperation with the departments of tourist planning and Damascus Countryside Tourism and bodies concerned in addition to selecting  Simon village as a heritage site in the framework of empowerment of rural woman and poverty reduction so that visiting tourists through this village can buy some souvenirs or to take a break and attend some local civil activities or even to stay at the homes of Syrian historic heritage character,” Mlessan clarified.

About the means of promotion of tourist products, Mlessan, Director of Marketing and Promotion confirmed that brochures to the gates of Damascus will be issued, including the gate of history, civilization, Islamic and Christian tourism, the Damascene kitchen, heritage, traditional industries, shopping, entertainment, culture, art and creativity in addition to the production of booklets on various tourist products, another book on Syria and another on each of the governorates of Damascus and Aleppo, the issuance of brochures for products that have not previously been working on them, other Syrian cuisine and a third includes various other products.

With regard to the direction to the east, Mlessan confirmed that it is scheduled to participate in tourist shows in New Delhi, Moscow and Beijing in order to maintain the presence of Syrian tourism in the global tourist market.

“The ministry is seeking to cooperate with the Syrian embassies in countries abroad, especially in Latin America where there is the largest concentration of the Syrian communities abroad, especially Brazil and Venezuela with the aim of creating some promotional activities,” Mlessan pointed out.

“In the future plans, it is expected to  implement and organize programs to familiarize the Syrian expatriates in order to enhance their affiliation to their homeland, Syria, and hosting media delegations that include specialist  journalists in the field of travel, tourism, television stations and international travel agencies to familiarize them with the Syrian various tourist product, hosting conferences and workshops to global travel agencies with their counterparts from the Syrian travel agencies,” Mlessan stressed.

Sh. Kh