Despite repeated warnings from the government, Russian tour operators recently began to take tourists to Syria. Everyone knows about the current war-torn situation of the country and how risky it can be for regular citizens.
Two companies started to offer tours. These trips include visits to seven cities of Syria with Beirut, the capital of Lebanon as the starting point. A few Russian media outlets leaked this information.
The eight-day tour followed an itinerary that included Damascus, Aleppo, and Roman Palmyra – “the bride of the desert.”
The cost of the trip starts at the US $1,950. The price doesn’t include flight tickets, insurance, and visa fees.
However, following media reports about these trips, the Russian Federal Agency for Tourism issued a recommendation to all tour agencies to stop offering travel packages to Syria. The Russian Federal Agency for Tourism also advised tourists to avoid Syria until the situation normalizes.
Avoid mentioning the war
Warnings issued by the government of Russia seem to have had a partial effect. One of those tour operators called Kilimanjaro removed its advert.
The first excursion managed by Kilimanjaro took place in October. They had plans for yet another trip on the 3rd of April, 2020 on its webpage. Nevertheless, they decided to remove Syria from its list of destinations.
Another tour operator, the Miracle, planned its first Syria trip on 14th of March, 2020 which is still available according to the company website.
According to sources, tour operators pointed out that their itinerary doesn’t include any destinations in the north-western province of Idlib. It is the last stronghold of Syrian rebels. They further clarified that they are resuming tours that they suspended earlier due to the political instability in the country.
The eight-year-long conflict in Syria left the nation in ruins after the peaceful uprising against President Bashar al-Assad in 2011. The situation led to a devastating civil war that raged on full-scale.
The renowned Lonely Planet guide defines Syria as one of the most dangerous tourist destinations on Earth. They write, “To put it simply, you can’t go. And if you can, you shouldn’t.”
The craziest idea
The message sent out by the government of Russia reached many natives of the country. These commoners took the initiative of expressing their surprise regarding the inclusion of Syria as a tourist spot.
One user wrote on the discussion forum of Otzyv.ru, “The country is very interesting, but to go there right now is insane.”
A blogger Belaruka1971 joked by saying in a tweet, “a machine gun and a helmet will be handed upon entrance to the country.”
Another individual, Prof. Preobrazhensky said sarcastically, “The cost is about 2,000 dollars. To make money from Russians in order to show them how the money was spent earlier is an interesting business idea.”
In spite of being the craziest idea ever, a few intrepid tourists found it interesting to visit Syria. 334 Russian tourists went to Syria in 2019. This information reached the Kommersant business daily from the Russian Border Service. The number of people who visited Syria in 2019 was three times more than in 2018.
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