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MENAFN- Mid-East Info)
Touristech launch opens a new chapter for Syria's tourism and technology sectors
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“Touristech” transforms a visit to the Aleppo Citadel into an interactive experience through six digital stations, an online platform and an open digital archive
The project trains 20 young guides and introduces a scalable operating model for tourism and heritage sites across Syria
Minister of Tourism invites Syrian, regional and international technology, digitisation and content companies to help develop the next generation of tourism experiences
Damascus, Syrian Arab Republic, September 28, 2026: Syria marked World Tourism Day on September 27 with the launch of Touristech at the Aleppo Citadel, a national initiative using technology to showcase the country's heritage through an interactive tourism experience. The project was launched in Aleppo as the first phase of a broader initiative designed to expand to tourism and heritage sites across Syria.
The inauguration welcomed more than 1,500 guests, including Minister of Tourism Mazen Al-Salhani, alongside senior government officials and diplomatic representatives. The event was held under the patronage of the Ministry of Tourism and Aleppo Governorate and organised by Junior Chamber International Beroea (JCI Beroea) and the Northern Region Tourism Chamber. It featured a tour of the interactive stations inside the citadel, a visual presentation on Aleppo's history, a screening of the project film, the introduction of“Aleppo Tourism Season” and a cultural and artistic programme highlighting the city's identity and heritage.
Syria's Minister of Tourism Mazen Al-Salhani said:“On World Tourism Day, we wanted Syria's vision for the future of tourism to be expressed through a tangible experience that visitors can see and explore. Touristech begins at the Aleppo Citadel with a clear objective of preserving our heritage and national identity while harnessing technology to present these stories in new and engaging ways. Through this initiative, we seek to enrich the visitor experience while providing our tourism and heritage sites with new opportunities for education, interaction and sustainable development. The Aleppo Citadel is our starting point, and our ambition is for Touristech to serve as a model that can be adapted and developed across Syria's tourism and heritage sites.”
Exploring 5,000 Years of History Through Technology
Touristech transforms the Aleppo Citadel into an interactive journey through 5,000 years of history, using six digital stations positioned at key locations across the site. Linked through a QR code system, the stations give visitors access to historical photographs, archaeological maps and other digital content, creating new ways to explore the citadel and its heritage. Designed to operate independently, the stations require no electrical wiring within the archaeological structure, allowing the technology to be introduced without altering the historic site.
The initiative extends beyond the citadel itself. Raizer, an Aleppo-founded software and AI company, is developing an online platform and open digital archive to make the project's resources accessible to visitors, researchers and schools. Touristech also includes a training programme for 20 young guides from Aleppo, supported by a standardised guidebook developed in collaboration with historians.
Complementing the digital experience is“Aleppo Tells Its Story” (Halab Tarwi), a programme that brings historians and academics to the citadel for regular public sessions exploring the city's history and heritage. The sessions will be recorded and made available online, creating an expanding digital resource that extends the reach of Aleppo's stories and scholarship to audiences in Syria and beyond.
Building a Model for Expansion:
The Aleppo Citadel was selected as Touristech's first site because of its thousands of years of history and its location at the heart of Aleppo's Old City. It provides the first application of the approach, combining digital tools with heritage preservation while avoiding alterations to the archaeological fabric. From the citadel, the experience connects visitors with the wider destination, including the Old City, its markets, crafts, cuisine, music and surrounding historic sites, extending tourism activity across hotels, restaurants, markets, guides, artisans and other local service providers.
The launch also included the signing of a Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) guide documenting the operation of the digital experience and establishing a framework that can be adapted for use at other tourism and heritage sites. The guide sets out procedures that can support the development of similar experiences at sites across Syria.
As the initiative moves into its next phase, Minister Al-Salhani invited technology, digitisation and content companies to participate in its development. He added:“We now have an initial model and an operating guide that we can build on. We invite Syrian, regional and international companies specialising in technology, digitisation, artificial intelligence and content development to participate in the next phase of developing tourism experiences in Syria. We have heritage sites and stories across the country, and we want to create opportunities for the private sector and innovators to develop solutions that help preserve this heritage, make it more accessible and interactive, and improve the visitor experience.”
Alongside the project, the event also marked the launch of“Aleppo Tourism Season,” led by the Northern Region Chamber of Tourism in partnership with local tourism companies and agencies. Together, these initiatives establish a framework for using digital technology to enhance heritage experiences, strengthen visitor services, and generate local tourism activity. The experience and operating model developed in Aleppo will also inform future digital visitor initiatives at tourism and heritage sites across Syria.
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