Damascus Launches "Qassioun Journey"

The Damascus Governorate, in cooperation with the Ministry of Tourism, launched the “Qasioun Journey” project in the Qasioun Mountain area, during a ceremony held Tuesday evening at the Damascus Opera House, in the presence of officials including a number of ministers, the governors of Damascus and Rural Damascus, the Presidential Advisor for Media Affairs, ambassadors, and representatives of economic and investment sectors.

Ambitious development vision

In his address at the ceremony, Damascus Governor Maher Marwan Adlbi emphasized that the project combines tourism, economic, social, and cultural dimensions, reflecting an ambitious development vision that places the Syrian people at its core. He noted that the project represents the beginning of a series of ongoing initiatives and is part of the governorate's efforts to promote sustainable development and explore new avenues for action.

Adlbi explained that the “Qasioun Journey” is the first Syrian project to combine tourism, the economy, culture, and social services, contributing to the creation of thousands of job opportunities, stimulating the local market, and enhancing confidence in the investment environment. He noted that it transforms Mount Qasioun into an open platform for community participation.

Project components an

Governor Adlbi denied granting any investment opportunities except for the parking garage project, explaining that the remaining opportunities will be offered through an electronic platform that adopts clear and transparent criteria. He revealed that there are more than 7,000 job opportunities and hundreds of small and medium-sized investment opportunities within the project, confirming that the completion rate is high and that the targeted opening for most of the axes will be by the end of summer 2026.

Supporting new projects

For his part, Tourism Minister Mazen Al-Salhani stated that the project is distinctly Syrian and that similar projects will be launched in all governorates in the coming period, with the next destination being in the Damascus countryside. Al-Salhani noted that Damascus has witnessed a marked improvement in basic services and the reopening of previously closed roads in recent months, emphasizing that the efforts of Damascus Governorate staff have contributed to revitalizing the city.

Al-Salhani pointed out that the Ministry of Tourism transferred its technical and legislative expertise to support Damascus projects, stressing that the Qasioun project was implemented entirely by Syrian hands, including local engineers and workers, and that the ministry is working to create new tourist destinations in the governorates.

and affirmed that the ministry is working in cooperation with the Damascus Governorate to provide opportunities for young people through shops with nominal rents and spaces dedicated to small creative projects, with the aim of supporting entrepreneurs and encouraging innovation within the project. He pointed out that these initiatives come within the government's commitment to securing job opportunities for graduates and enabling them to launch their projects within Syria.

A clear vision overseen by a team of expert designers

For his part, the Deputy Governor of Damascus for the Technical Sector, Muammar Dakkak, presented the ongoing technical and engineering work in the project to rehabilitate the sites of Mount Qasioun, noting that the governorate's teams began inspecting the sites that were closed and inaccessible during the period of the former regime, and a clear vision was prepared under the supervision of the Governor of Damascus and a team of specialized designers.

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