Syria’s hotel sector has picked up after the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in December 2024, but the flow of foreign tourists remains low. Hotels mainly host business visitors and Syrians living abroad who come to visit relatives or explore the possibility of returning to the country, The National reports.
Murhaf Nazha, head of the Federation of Syrian Chambers of Tourism, said room occupancy at the Royal Semiramis hotel in central Damascus is 50%, while it is 70% at the Golden Mazzeh in the west of the city. The Golden Mazzeh has also become a venue for business conferences, the number of which is growing in the country.
Shortage of rooms and staff
Syria has around 5,000 hotel rooms, while another 20,000 are needed in the medium term, according to Nazha’s estimate. He believes that if the security situation continues to improve, the country should rapidly implement hotel projects to provide accommodation for future visitors.
Some hotels have closed or lie in ruins, while many operating establishments need repairs. The authorities have eased restrictions, allowing some hotels, including two- and three-star properties, to resume operations before full reconstruction is completed. The sector also faces a shortage of qualified workers, as many specialists left the country during the war. The Ministry of Tourism is developing on-the-job training programs jointly with hotels.
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Investment and infrastructure
Syrian authorities reported last year that Saudi company Le Park Concord Hotels & Resorts had begun renovating and expanding a state-owned beach hotel in Latakia. Mohamed Alabbar, founder of Dubai-based developer Emaar Properties, also said that the company had considered projects on the Syrian coast.
Nazha links the prospects for tourists’ return to the restoration of electricity supply, transport and communications infrastructure. Construction of a new terminal at Damascus airport, for which a Qatari company received the contract, is expected to be completed this year.
He also expects Syria’s integration into the international financial system to make bookings from abroad easier. After the United States lifted all sanctions last month, international banks and credit card companies will be able to begin operating in the country, enabling hotels to accept online bookings and deposit payments. At the same time, the recovery of tourism is affected by violence in certain parts of Syria, crime, destroyed infrastructure, and the Iran-related war, which has affected travel across the region.
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