Damascus Rural Tourism. Out-of-service facilities and repairs awaiting implementation

Syrian News - Special

There are many demands, wishes and proposals that the owners of tourist establishments in the Damascus countryside governorate have brought to the table of the General Authority of the Chamber of Tourism, in the hope that they will find solutions that remove all the obstacles and difficulties that have caused a lot of slowdown in tourism activity, imposed a heavier rhythm, hindered the operation of some establishments and caused financial losses to their owners.

Outstanding issues

Among the issues raised during the meeting of the General Assembly of the Chamber, they discussed the damaged, suspended and troubled tourist establishments during the past years, in addition to raising the problems of tourism pricing and the mechanisms used, which are no longer appropriate in light of the changes in the exchange rate on the one hand, and the disparity in the level of tourism service between the establishments, and the demand for the need to seek to restore tourism activity to the Zainab area in Damascus countryside after the suspension of arrivals about a year and a half ago, with reference to a proposal to review the restricted nationalities that were not allowed to come.

The members of the General Assembly of the Chamber of Tourism of Damascus Countryside called for addressing the issue of the consumer expenditure fee, as well as amending some of the decisions of the social insurance regarding the registration of workers and the relationship between the worker and the employer, in addition to easing the routine procedures related to the subject of licenses, whether in terms of restoration or administrative license, and addressing violations in accordance with the regulations and laws in a way that leaves no room for disruption of work in tourism establishments due to conflicts of opinion in this aspect by financial controllers, municipalities or other relevant authorities.

President of the Federation of Chambers

The Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Federation of Tourism Chambers, Marhaf Nozha, reassured the owners of the establishments, saying that work is underway to improve the reality of the tourism sector, which is currently entering a new phase, indicating that the cheapest investment is in tourism and the fastest income is from tourism, so tourism gains its importance as a tributary to the public treasury and as a provider of many job opportunities.

  During  the meeting with the Minister of Finance, we called for the replacement of the consumer spending fee, and it was found that there is a desire to do so, but the issue needs legislation to be discussed in the People's Assembly, as well as indicating that the increase in the prices of services in tourist establishments is due to the high rates of taxes collected from tourism, considering that it is important to reconsider the nationalities registered within the framework of the revitalization of religious tourism, and this will be agreed upon with the concerned authorities in a way that contributes to the restoration  of the Sayyida Zainab area to its usual tourism activity and in a way that ensures the return of tourist establishments to work and thus securing job opportunities.

Damaged Installations

With regard to the tourist establishments that have been suspended or damaged during the past years, Nozha indicated that the Federation of Tourism Chambers has taken upon itself to address this issue and has started working with the Ministry of Tourism and its directorates to provide the Federation with a list of the names and locations of damaged, stopped or distressed establishments that will be studied and to develop the proposed treatment either by securing a partner or by securing an investor for the establishment or securing its sale if there is anyone who wishes to do so.

Response of Facility Owners

The Director of Quality at the Ministry of Tourism, Eng. Ziad Al-Balkhi, indicated that the Ministry of Tourism is working hard to improve the reality of tourism activity in the country by following up on problems and obstacles and overcoming difficulties, noting that the efforts made to address the reality of the damaged facilities must be met by the owners of the establishments with the appropriate response, pointing out that it is unacceptable that the issued licenses remain suspended and serious steps must be taken to reactivate the work in the suspended facilities, pointing out that there are some who seek to circumvent the law regarding the licenses granted, recalling the poultry that suddenly turned into nightclubs in the governorate of Rif Damascus in the previous period.

Classification criterion

Al-Balkhi stressed that the Ministry  is seeking with the Ministry of Finance to reduce the percentage of consumption expenditure fees imposed on the visitors of tourist establishments, in addition to clarifying many tax issues with the General Authority for Taxes and Fees, considering that the basic criterion for the tourism classification should be the level of tourism service in the facility and nothing else, and with regard to the work of Umrah offices, Al-Balkhi indicated that the Federation of Chambers has formed a committee to give the opinion and controls required for the work of Umrah offices, and in light of that, it will be dealt with.

Documenting complaints and issues

The Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Chamber of Tourism of Damascus Countryside, Mohammed Yasser Al-Haboush, called on the owners of tourist establishments who have problems or difficulties they face to prepare books explaining the details of these problems and their rationale, so that they can be addressed by the Chamber and followed up with the concerned authorities, indicating that a number of topics are being followed up on a daily basis with the concerned authorities in the Damascus Countryside Governorate, municipalities, the Directorate of Tourism and the financial departments.

Continued imbalance

Dr. Maher Qalai, a member of the General Assembly of the Chamber, called for the cancellation of the Social Insurance Decision No. 1787, which requires tourist establishments to register 28 workers, considering that the owner of the establishment is the one who pays the employer's share and the worker's share for insurances, and this constitutes a large amount, pointing out that some establishments are forced to register fake workers in exchange for obtaining a clearance, and this is a defect that must be overcome and sound work mechanisms must be found that govern the relationship between the owners of establishments and various public government departments.

Appropriate Mechanisms for Tax Assignment

He called for addressing the problem of charging consumer expenditure appropriately, and reviewing the mechanisms of tax assignment according to the type of establishment and the service it provides, in addition to paying attention to infrastructure services such as roads and others and rehabilitating them to be suitable for use by guests and visitors of tourist facilities in some areas of Damascus countryside, stressing the need to name a representative from the Chamber of Tourism to accompany all patrols that enter the tourist facilities, including supply, health, finance, insurance, and others to ensure the proper progress of procedures.

Follow-up steps from the room

The Director of the Chamber of Tourism in Damascus Countryside, Eng. Amin Rashid, presented the steps taken by the Chamber, including addressing the Ministry of Electricity regarding the increase in prices, raising the problem of stalled projects before the Minister of Tourism, and following up on the issue of the owners of establishments who paid the prices of fuel for the "Golden Gate" company without receiving them.

Rashid stressed that the chamber is working to lay the foundations for the work of overnight facilities for religious tourism, follow up on the suffering of the stopped establishments in the Sayyida Zeinab area with the social insurance, and seek with the Ministry of Finance to extend the deadline for exemption from interest, fines and penalties due on the establishments in the region for the years 2020 and before.

Mahmoud Dibo