Mubasher: Damascus will host the first Syria Travel Show at the Dama Rose Hotel on 14-16 April 2026, reflecting a significant step in Syria’s repositioning within the MENA tourism landscape, according to a press release.
The inaugural Syria Travel Show 2026 will serve as a dedicated international platform for travel trade, hospitality investment and tourism partnerships, while being organized by the Ministry of Tourism of Syria in strategic partnership with Mangusteen for Exhibitions and Conferences and SO Media.
Positioned as a focused B2B marketplace designed to facilitate investment, partnerships and destination reintroduction, the exhibition will convene international tour operators, travel agencies, hospitality investors, cultural tourism specialists and media representatives.
The launch of the event is following a sector momentum after Syria recorded 3.56 million visitors, including Syrians, Arab nationals and international travelers, during the period from January to November 2025. This signaled overall growth of 18%, with Arab and foreign arrivals rising by 80%.
The event is structured to convert visitor growth into long-term capital flows and institutional partnerships while supporting broader tourism ecosystem recovery including infrastructure, services and workforce development.
Mazen Al Salhani, Syria’s Minister of Tourism, stated: "Syria Travel Show 2026 reflects our commitment to positioning tourism as a structured economic driver.”
The Minister noted: “The growth in visitor numbers demonstrates tangible momentum, and our focus now is on building sustainable partnerships that translate demand into investment, employment and institutional reform.”
Al Salhani added: “This exhibition serves as a gateway for serious stakeholders seeking long-term engagement in Syria’s tourism landscape."
Syria Travel Show 2026 builds on the country’s recent international engagement which included the participation at FITUR in Madrid, where renewed interest from international operators and investors was recorded.
For his part, Faraj Al Qashqoush, Deputy Minister for Hotel Affairs and Quality, said: "Syria offers rare depth in cultural, geographic and historical assets. As regional tourism expands, our objective is not merely to participate in that growth, but to contribute to it meaningfully.”
Al Qashqoush concluded: “With the gradual recovery of infrastructure and sector services, Syria is steadily emerging as a diversified tourism destination within the region."
Regionally, tourism continues to outperform global averages; according to UN Tourism, the Middle East recorded growth of approximately 3% in 2025, exceeding pre-pandemic levels by nearly 39%.
Syria Travel Show 2026 will mainly focus on cultural and heritage tourism development, hospitality and hotel investment, public-private partnerships, community-based tourism models, and regulatory dialogue and sector modernization.
