Damascus - The sixth International Tourist Investment Market Forum kicked off on Tuesday with the participation of businessmen and investment companies from 15 countries.
The Forum, held under the title "Tourist Products: Renewed Opportunities for Investment and Tourist Development in Syria, will present 92 tourist projects including medium and small-sized three-star hotels, open beaches and residemces.
In a speech at the opening of the Forum, Prime Minister Mohammad Naji Otri underlined the government's commitment to providing the factors of an ideal investment environment through a comprehensive reform process that covers economic, financial, legislative and banking sectors, in addition to an integrated package of administrative procedures, and financial investments in all investment fields.
Premier Otri added that the government also provided facilitations and exemptions to tourist investment, such as exempting hotels' imports from customs and income taxes for 7 years, increasing the exemption period to 10 years in the eastern region, and decreasing income taxes by 20% in tourist development areas.
"All these measures helped push development process forward, developed business environment, and attracted developmental and tourist investment projects," he said.
The Prime Minister added that overall tourist investment put into service amounted to USD 4.4 billion, with the value of investments currently under construction amounting to USD 6.3 billion.
" This proves the effectiveness of the administrative procedures and facilitations provided by the government to the tourism sector," he explained.
He went on to say that in the 11th five-year plan, the government aims at doubling public and private investments in all sectors, including the tourist sector, to exceed USD 87 billion, in addition to increasing the participation of the local, Arab and foreign private sector to more than USD 45 billion.
Premier Otri invited investors and businessmen to invest in Syria and benifet from the atmosphere of security, stability, economic strength, geographic location, expert and trained labor force, and deep heritage in it.
In his turn, Minister of Tourism Saadalla Agha al-Qalaa pointed out that tourism in Syria continued to grow in 2009 , taking advantage of the intensified promotion efforts.
"Tourists amounted to 6.1 million in 2009, marking an increase of 12% with 700,000 more tourists compared to 2008. Those tourists spent around USD 5.2 billion in Syria," he said.
The Minister said the Forum will present new tourist products, particularly outside cities such as 5 mountain tourism projects, 12 environmental tourism projects, 4 therapeutic tourism projects, 16 leisure and vacation tourism projects, 8 cultural tourism projects, 6 conference tourism projects, 22 city tourism projects, 33 hotel projects, and 5 training hotel projects.
The three-day Forum includes movie screening and debate sessions on the role of tourism in economic and social development, the government's efforts for achieving comprehensive development, the effect of tourism on the balance of payments, and its role in developing local societies and creating new job opportunities.
By H. Sabbagh / Mazen
© SANA (Syria Arab News Agency) 2010
