Syria’s Tourism Industry Shows Signs of Life — But the Comeback Is Controversial

Tourism often has an undertone of politics, and nowhere is that more pronounced than in an active war zone. Syria — which has been at war for close to a decade — had a thriving tourism industry before the Arab Spring in 2011 served as the catalyst for years of conflict and horror. Since then, more than half a million people have died or are missing, roughly half the country's population of 22 million have been displaced internally or become refugees abroad, and major cities and entire regions are decimated. President Bashar al-Assad has been called a war criminal, and northern Syria a tinderbox — thanks in part to President Trump's withdrawal of troops from that region in October. It's perhaps unsurprising, then, that most countries in the world advise their citizens not to travel to Syria for reasons of safety. However, people are starting to do just that. From organized tour groups to online travel influencers, these trips trend to be framed as for the intrepid and advent