DAMASCUS, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) — Saudi executives attending the ongoing Damascus International Fair have said they see opportunities in trade, industry, and tourism as Syria works to recover from years of conflict.
The 62nd edition of the fair, which opened Wednesday under the theme “Syria Welcomes the World,” runs through September 5 at the Damascus Exhibition City. Around 800 companies from 20 countries, including Egypt, Türkiye, Sudan, Belgium, South Africa, and Pakistan, are exhibiting across a 95,000-square-meter space.
Saudi Arabia is participating as the Guest of Honor, with over 80 private-sector firms alongside government entities such as the ministries of energy and investment, the Saudi Export Development Authority, and the Saudi-Syrian Business Council.
Faisal Majed Al-Muhaideb, CEO of Masdar, a Saudi building and construction materials company, and representative of the Al-Muhaidib Group pavilion, told Xinhua that the group has brought all eight of its companies, spanning industrial, commercial, agricultural, and real estate sectors, to the fair.
“We see the Syrian Arab Republic heading toward growth, progress, and investment, and our presence confirms this commitment,” he said. “I believe this marks the beginning of exporting Saudi goods to Syria, with the next stage being the establishment of factories and the localization of major industries inside Syria.”
Abdullah Mutaeb Alzahrani, team leader for marketing at Bahra Electric, described the Syrian market as promising.
“We are pleased to be here for the first time at the Damascus International Fair under the slogan ‘We resemble each other,’ which reflects the deep ties between the Saudi and Syrian peoples,” he said. “We expect more Saudi companies to take part in supporting Syria’s economic revival.”
Abdulelah Abanumy, CEO of Sky Ways travel agency, said his company sees demand for business travel in the short term and tourism in the future.
“For us, the focus is on business travel over the next three to four years, and later we hope Syria will return as one of the most desirable tourist destinations for Saudis and the Arab world,” Abanumy said.
