By the end of 2010, over 8 million people had memories to cherish and photographs to share with friends and family of their vacation in Syria. Last year’s record-breaking figure of 8.5 million – about 30% more than the previous year’s – is due in large part to Syria’s increasingly successful international diplomacy and marketing strategies. Of course, when a destination is as fascinating, exciting, beautiful, and historically relevant as Syria, it’s simply a matter of getting the word out. The rest, you could say, is history.
The Ministry of Tourism is certainly playing its part, though, upping the ante by investing in promotions around the world. “If you look to what we used to do before 2007 and what we’re doing today,” says Dr. Saadalla Agha Al Kalaa, Minister of Tourism, “there is a real difference in professionalism, budget, tools, and the presence.”
Of all of Syria’s pulls, perhaps the most compelling is its history – it is, after all, the cradle of civilization and Christianity. Also, Syria’s capital, Damascus, boasts two important titles: it was the first capital of the first Islamic state, the Umayyad Caliphate, and it is recognized as the world’s oldest continuously inhabited city.
The Ministry of Tourism is developing the sector, encouraging investment in infrastructure, staying abreast of changing trends, and offering a greater mixture of products. “Our new product is a cluster of products that are especially designed with different colors and perfumes every time,” explains Dr. Saadalla Agha Al Kalaa.
“Tourism must be one of the major pillars of the national economy, a tool of sustainable development and a bridge between cultures and people,” he concludes.
0 COMMENTS