Many thousands of foreigners have safely visited Syria since the country reopened for tourism in 2018 and especially since the end of the dictatorial regime in 2024. Indeed, many were recently surprised to see that Syria proved that it can be an area of peace and stability in a region troubled by external interference.
Areas to be avoided include the northeast of the country, the Druze-majority Suwayda Governorate in the southeast, and the Quneitra Governorate in the southwest. In former conflict areas such as the southeastern suburbs of Damascus and some rural areas, unexploded ordnance can be a danger that is easily avoided by staying on the roads.
Staying away from large political and religious protests or gatherings is advisable as crowd behaviour can be unpredictable, and female travellers should take care to dress modestly in the more traditional areas of northern Syria. However, petty crime and tourist rip-offs are very rare in Syria. In practice, like much of the rest of the world, it's bad driving and unwashed vegetables that pose the greatest real danger to tourists.
Travellers need to realise that many governments still have official travel warnings in place for all of Syria and that most embassies remain closed or only have diplomatic representatives that cannot help tourists. Before departure, check if your government's travel advice affects the validity of your travel and other insurances.
If you have a complaint about any tourism-related experience at a hotel, restaurant or sight, you could report this via the Syrian Tourism Ministry's complaints hotline, which was launched in May 2026: Tel. +963 11 137 / +963 934 137 137, email 137@mots.gov.sy.
It's good to prepare well by asking for details from your travel agent or by joining online forums like the Syria Traveler Community on Facebook and the Traveler Community Syria Whatsapp group, which are good for up-to-date travel advice.
Safety precautions
Travel in the areas fully controlled by the new government is generally considered unproblematic. You'll see plenty of military checkpoints en route in Syria, but these are quickly passed. In practice, the major cities and sights are all easily and safely accessible by private or public transport: Damascus, Bosra, Maaloula, Palmyra, Homs, Hama, Aleppo, Latakia and Tartus, as well as the roads from the borders with Lebanon and Jordan. At tourist sites, you may well see the friendly cops, both male and female, of the brand new Tourist Police Department, established in 2025.Areas to be avoided include the northeast of the country, the Druze-majority Suwayda Governorate in the southeast, and the Quneitra Governorate in the southwest. In former conflict areas such as the southeastern suburbs of Damascus and some rural areas, unexploded ordnance can be a danger that is easily avoided by staying on the roads.
Staying away from large political and religious protests or gatherings is advisable as crowd behaviour can be unpredictable, and female travellers should take care to dress modestly in the more traditional areas of northern Syria. However, petty crime and tourist rip-offs are very rare in Syria. In practice, like much of the rest of the world, it's bad driving and unwashed vegetables that pose the greatest real danger to tourists.
Travellers need to realise that many governments still have official travel warnings in place for all of Syria and that most embassies remain closed or only have diplomatic representatives that cannot help tourists. Before departure, check if your government's travel advice affects the validity of your travel and other insurances.
Get connected
Choosing to use the services of one of our recommended travel agents for your trip is a good idea if you're worried about safety, as they're best informed and will take care of all aspects of your trip.If you have a complaint about any tourism-related experience at a hotel, restaurant or sight, you could report this via the Syrian Tourism Ministry's complaints hotline, which was launched in May 2026: Tel. +963 11 137 / +963 934 137 137, email 137@mots.gov.sy.
It's good to prepare well by asking for details from your travel agent or by joining online forums like the Syria Traveler Community on Facebook and the Traveler Community Syria Whatsapp group, which are good for up-to-date travel advice.
