The Most Dangerous Country in the World

The Current State of Inbound Tourism

Syria’s tourism industry is of the biggest casualties of the war that has been described as this century’s bloodiest conflict. Popular tourist attractions like the old city of Damascus and the Citadel of Aleppo have been destroyed by shelling. Other nations have imposed travel bans, called on their citizens to leave the country, or both.

When violence erupted inside airports in Damascus and other major cities, all international airlines suspended flights into and out of Syria. At present Syrian Air is the only airline serving the country’s airports, its existence sustained by expat Syrians traveling to and from their birthplace.

A high number of Syrian hotels have been demolished by airstrikes and shelling. Some luxury hotel chains like the Sheraton and the Four Seasons remain intact in Damascus, where they offer refuge to wealthy Syrians fleeing the war-torn areas. Everyone else who has been displaced stays at small accommodation outlets, where distressed families can rent a room for $5 US per night.

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“Religious Tourism”

While inbound tourism has come to a halt, outbound tourism in Syria is still alive — barely. Around half of all outbound departures can be classified as “religious tourism,” which includes Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages to the holy cities of Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia. Syrian travel retailers admit that religious tourism is one of the only reasons why they have been able to stay in business during the years of armed conflict and economic hardship.

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