Tourist numbers in Syria rose 12% again last year from 2008 levels. Although the government deems almost any foreigner who enters to be a tourist this is more encouraging news for a country that has been under US sanctions since 2004 for its support of militant groups.
Syria, which contains several important sites of antiquity, including the ancient city of Palymra and the wonderful Crak de Chevaliers, received around six million tourists, including 1.1 million Syrian expatriates and 3.6 million Arabs, in 2009, the state media said.
The ruling Baath Party has taken steps to liberalise the economy after decades of nationalisation and bans on private enterprise and relations with the west have improved recently.
We had the opportunity of visting Syria a couple of years ago and we found the people absolutely wonderful and welcoming with one particular anecdote serving to illustrate the generosity and sincerity of the people.
A small party of us were taking a look at the old souk of Alleppo, the largest indoor souk in the world. Typically, the souk was a chaos of people, stalls, animals, motorbikes - with local traders and shoppers charging about in all directions. Amidst this swirl of activity, one of our party dropped his wallet. In fact, he didn't even know he had dropped it until it was returned to him a little later by a small syrian boy who was no more than 12 yrs old. The boy had sought him out and followed him to return the wallet which contained, in USD, the equivalent of perhaps a years salary for a local trader.
He sought no reward, but was, it's fair to say, generously compensated!
Wondreful country and wonderful people.
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