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Syria’s Ministry of Tourism has completed contractual arrangements with Rotana Star Contracting and Westfield Sons to proceed with a major integrated hospitality and tourism development in the Kafr Sousa district of Damascus.
The project will deliver a large mixed-use destination comprising a five-star hotel - previously branded as Mövenpick - and Mall Alarab, which is expected to become the largest commercial and services mall in Damascus, the ministry said in a press statement on Wednesday.
The development will also include leisure and supporting service facilities and will be operated by an international hotel management company, ensuring global service standards.
The development is being executed on land owned by Damascus Governorate, under a structured investment agreement that reinforces public-private partnership (PPP) principles and ensures the optimal use of public assets in support of sustainable tourism and economic development, the statement noted.
Mazen Al Salhani, Minister of Tourism, said the Ministry is committed to advancing its policy of attracting high-quality tourism investments and providing a supportive regulatory environment that ensures execution excellence and operational sustainability.
“This project reflects our vision to deliver integrated tourism developments that meet international standards and reinforce Damascus’s position as a tourism and investment destination through effective public-private partnerships.”
The project costs and timelines weren't disclosed.
Separately, Al Salhani inaugurated the five-star Khan Suleiman Pasha Hotel in Damascus Old City, marking a milestone in the adaptive reuse of heritage assets. The hotel occupies a former Ottoman-era khan dating back to 1736 on Medhat Pasha Street, part of the UNESCO-listed old city.
The restoration, led by Wahoud Group, preserved more than 80 percent of the original stonework using traditional materials and conservation techniques, while integrating modern hospitality systems. The hotel features 25 rooms and two suites arranged around traditional Damascene courtyards.
The heritage project, owned by Damascus Governorate and developed under a private investment partnership, has been praised by international heritage experts and is expected to feature as a best-practice example in future UNESCO reports on the adaptive reuse of heritage buildings.
(Writing by Majda Muhsen; Editing by Anoop Menon)
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