Bahraini Tourists Flock To Syria
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www.gulfweeklyworldwide.com: Syria may not appear to be the obvious hunting ground for the holiday-hungry, but for Bahrainis the Syrian Arab Republic has become one of the region’s top getaways.On a visit to Bahrain last week, Syrian Tourism Minister Sadallah Al Qala Alkala announced that 65,000 Bahrainis visited Syria over the past year.The phenomenal number means that roughly a seventh of the Bahraini population visited Syria in 2006 alone. “You can see Bahrainis everywhere, they’re on the streets, in the cafes, in the stores,” said Elias Achy, senior sales executive of Syrian travel agent, Chamtour, “it’s an incredibly popular place for Bahrainis to come.” So why has a country that shares a large border with war-torn Iraq, has been forced into diplomatic pariah status and quarantined for decades by the US become such a holiday-making magnet?“All the countries from the Gulf visit in large numbers,” said Suleimann Sarra, the Syrian Ambassador in Bahrain, “Syria is a very popular destination for Arab tourists.
“They don’t need a visa,” he explained “there’s no language barrier, the country is secure and safe, and there are a wide variety of things to see. “There are all sorts of tourism. Some Bahrainis go to visit religious sites, others go to get cheap medical treatment.“There are also 3,000 archeological sites, coastal and mountain resorts, and there are many attractions in Damascus, which is the oldest inhabitated city in the world. People especially like to go to the suqs and the markets.”Khalid Ali A Rahman, a driving instructor from East Riffa, 52, visited Syria last week.
He said: “Syria is cheap compared to many other places. The currency conversion works for us Bahrainis. When you compare it to Europe it’s a lot more reasonable. My family and I like to go to Syria to visit the resorts and go shopping. Clothes shopping is the best. There are some great suqs like Al Hamidia, Alsalhia and Bab Touma.”
The enjoyment that people like Mr Rahman have found in visiting Syria means that investment in the country’s tourism industry is growing quickly.
Although Syria’s tourism infrastructure has yet to be properly established, tourism currently constitutes seven per cent of the country’s GDP – and is growing rapidly.
Between 2000 and 2005 the number of tourists visiting the country had increased by 15 per cent, rising from 1.68 million to 3.36 million, explained Mr Sarra. At last week’s Syrian tourism investment forum held in Bahrain’s Gulf Hotel, 45 projects were exhibited with a total worth of $600 million. By 2006, investment in hotels and restaurants had risen to more than $3.6 billion revealed Mr Sarra. Although only 13 per cent of the Syria’s tourists are from Europe and the West, the tourism ministry is encouraging greater numbers to come. “The image of Syria in the West has been very negative,” explained Osama Al Nouri, of Trans Asia Travel and Tourism at last week’s investment forum, “one of our aims is to use tourism as a tool for dialogue.”But Syria’s image is already beginning to change for the better. Following the invasion of Iraq, Syria has been shrugging off its US-inflicted pariah status.
It’s extended its arms to more than a million Iraqi refugees; it took in 180,000 temporary Lebanese refugees fleeing last summer’s war with Israel – and coupled with Condaleeza Rice’s recent visit to Damascus – is placing the country in a different light. Mr Sarra hopes that expats in Bahrain will make the effort to visit the country.
“Its very near and its very cheap,” he said, “visas can be issued within a reasonable time and we have a very active processing section. There are wonderful places to visit and there are daily flights to Syria from Bahrain.”He explained that a Syria’s ancient and diverse heritage makes the country a prime vacation destination, for both Arabs and expats.
But he added: “The best advice I can give is to come and see it for yourself.”
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