Al-Shara Launches a Tourist Platform from Arwad Island to Revitalize Syria's Economy

SadaNews - Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara announced yesterday, Sunday, the launch of a new platform to rebuild the Syrian economy starting from Arwad Island in Tartus Governorate, considering that the island will be one of the main pillars of development and investment plans in the upcoming phase.

The president made his remarks during what he described as a historic visit to Arwad Island to participate in the opening of the 2026 Tartus tourism season, marking the first visit by a Syrian president to the island, according to the official Syrian News Channel.

The Syrian president stated that "Syria has returned to the Syrians," adding that Arwad Island had been neglected in past years, and his visit to Arwad, Tartus, and Latakia represents confirmation of the state's direction towards launching a new platform to rebuild the Syrian economy from the coast.

Al-Shara indicated that the government intends to activate the economy by investing in the island and better utilizing its potential, affirming that the planned projects along the Syrian coast will provide new job opportunities and contribute to driving growth in the upcoming period.

Opening a Port

The official Syrian News Channel reported that the opening of the 2026 Tartus tourism season yesterday, Sunday, also witnessed the inauguration of the Al-Tahouna port, which connects the city of Tartus with Arwad Island, as well as the launch of a ship for cleaning Tartus beach and the island's beach.

The channel added, through its correspondent in Tartus, that there are local appeals to rehabilitate the archaeological city of Amrit and restore the Marqab Castle. The Syrian News also reported that the restoration of Arwad Island's castle has been completed, alongside the ongoing restoration of the National Museum of Tartus.

These developments come at a time when Arwad Island has started to show signs of increasing maritime activity, with the Syrian News Agency (SANA) reporting that the island's port has seen a noticeable increase in ship traffic in recent weeks, benefiting from its strategic location and the services it provides for crew changes and temporary maintenance of passing ships.

Director of Arwad Port Nazim Taleb stated that the port receives between 15 and 20 ships monthly, pointing out that port management has taken the necessary steps to facilitate berthing and departure operations and to provide maritime services efficiently.

The Syrian official added that this increasing activity reflects the vitality of the port and its role in supporting maritime transport and connecting the island to neighboring areas.

Arwad Island enjoys a strategic location in the Mediterranean, being the only inhabited island in Syria, located about three kilometers off the coast of Tartus. It also has a historical heritage dating back to the Phoenician civilization, which made it an important commercial and maritime center in the region.

Tourism Development

Sateh Yasin, spokesperson for the Syrian Ministry of Tourism and development advisor in the ministry, stated in a television program broadcast on the Syrian News Channel on Saturday that the number of incoming visitors to Syria has risen from two million in 2023 to over five million in 2025.

He added that the total value of tourism investment agreements (including agreements, memorandums of understanding, and investments) concluded in 2025 exceeded 1.5 billion dollars.

According to the Ministry of Tourism's website, Syrian authorities are seeking to change perceptions of Syria and activate tourism as a key supporter of the economy and a major contributor to the state treasury, aiming to raise the sector's contribution to 30% of GDP in the upcoming phase, after the tourism contribution prior to the outbreak of the revolution in 2011 did not exceed 14% of the size of the Syrian economy.

The Syrian News Channel quoted Syrian economist Abdul Hakim Al-Masri as saying he expects tourism numbers in Syria to have increased by 80% in 2025 compared to 2024, adding that the forecasts suggest that tourism will contribute 25% to GDP, which is estimated at 33 billion dollars in 2025 and is expected to reach 40 billion dollars next year.

Source: Al Jazeera