SYRIA: First tourism festival takes place in Syrian city of Sweida

Record ID: 278608

  • Title: SYRIA: First tourism festival takes place in Syrian city of Sweida
  • Date: 30th July 2009
  • Summary: SWEIDA, SYRIA (JULY 23, 2009) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF SPECTATORS AT THE FESTIVAL
  • Embargoed: 14th August 2009 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: Lifestyle
  • Reuters ID: LVA7LUOFAS3KAY2LPV1PZAY4640K
  • Story Text: The city of Sweida launched its first Sweida Festival on Thursday (July 23). It was attended by the city's inhabitants as well as many people from inside and outside Syria.
    The festival aims not only to promote the city and its traditions and heritage but also to encourage tourism.
    "We depend on the social network and traditions of this area. It is known that in Sweida, whenever someone wants to build a house, 70% of it is turned into rooms for guests,"
    said Bashar al-Hajali, one of the organisers.
    The event is one of many festivals organised in various Syrian cities and encouraged by the Syrian Ministry of Tourism as part of the ministry's policy to encourage tourism in Syria.
    "The festivals improve internal tourism in the country. But we also hope that it will improve on the external level as well as the internal level. Because we need external tourism in our country to develop," said journalist Samaher Loho.
    In 2007 the Syrian government increased the country's annual budget to 6 million U.S. dollars. A considerable part of this was allocated to advertising Syria as a holiday destination after an official survey found that 77 percent of tourists come to Syria based on word-of-mouth.
    Despite the lack of hotels in the city, many tourists find the idea of the festival appealing.
    "The festival serves to promote the country's folklore and traditions -- things that identify the country," said Jorge Romeo, a sculptor from Argentina.
    The festival runs until August 15.
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