Damascus, SANA- Minister of Tourism Bishir Yazaji stressed that the foreign-backed terrorist organizations have targeted the Syrian heritage in a systematic way through the acts of sabotage and robbery in an attempt to obliterate the Syrian culture and history.
Meeting a western media delegation on Tuesday, Minister Yazaji briefed the delegation on the damages to the tourism sector in Syria which have been caused by the terrorist war launched against the country as a large number of the tourist facilities went out of service and a number of them have been destroyed.
The delegation embraced 13 journalists of different nationalities who came from the US, Australia and 8 European states.
Yazaji indicated that the terrorist organizations have targeted a number of the important archeological sites in Syria, some of which are on the World Heritage List.
He indicated that the number of the tourist facilities which have returned to service over the past two years reached 800 in the domains of catering and hotels, in addition to proposing a number of projects and programs by the Ministry of Tourism in the fields of promotion, planning and investment.
Yazaji said that Syria opens its doors before its visitors from all around the world, considering that the repeated visits of the delegations to Syria “affirm the loyalty of its lovers from all around the world and their role in conveying a true image about what is taking place on the ground”
He asserted that the will and resilience of the Syrians will defeat terrorism which is trying to target their history, civilization and culture.
For her part, Head of the Western delegation Janice Kurt Kamp clarified that the goal behind the visit to Syria is to know what is taking place on the ground and to convey a true image about these events, hailing the courage and heroism of the Syrian Arab army which protecting the civilians wherever they are.
She called for facing the “economic war” launched against Syria and for combating terrorism.
R.J /Ghossoun