The Syrian minister of tourism declared that the number of tourists to Damascus from the Gulf countries rose last year to 700,000. Syria will need new hotels to accommodate the growing flow of tourism to the country.

[Editor's comment: In the wake of the growing strategic alliance between Syria and its big neighbor to the north the biggest bump in tourism is originating from Turkey after the two countries decided to do away with the visa requirements for the their citizens crossing each other's border.]

Source: menafn.com, February 27, 2011