Story thread · 2 reports / 2 sources

Syria visitor numbers more than double as international arrivals surge

thenationalnews.com · 4hShare

Syria welcomed 3.52 million visitors in the first half of 2026, more than double the number a year earlier, as the country targets the Gulf and other higher-spending markets to drive its tourism recovery . International arrivals increased nearly fivefold, or 448 per cent, Tourism Minister Mazen Al Salhani told The National . Arrivals from Arab countries rose 107 per cent, while visits by Syrians living abroad increased 75 per cent as members of the diaspora began returning in greater numbers. Overall visitor numbers rose 111 per cent from 1.67 million in the first six months of 2025. Preliminary figures indicate visitor numbers are already approaching three million in the third quarter, Mr Al Salhani said. “For us, visitor numbers are the beginning of the story, not the end,” he added. “What these figures demonstrate is renewed confidence in Syria as a destination. Our responsibility now is to convert that confidence and demand into investment, greater tourism capacity, jobs and long-t

First report: Chinese visitor numbers increase as South Island tourism market rebounds — nzherald.co.nz, 2d