Sustainable and Responsible Travel in Syria: Eco-Friendly Tours & Ethical Practices

Why sustainable travel in Syria matters now

Syria is home to millennia of cultural heritage and diverse landscapes. After years of conflict and natural disasters, many communities and conservation partners are working to stabilise, restore and revive historic markets, monuments and local livelihoods. Responsible visitors can help sustain that recovery — but travel here requires careful ethical and safety considerations.

This article explains: what restoration and community projects are underway, practical ways to travel ethically, how to support local economies, and essential safety and advisory steps before you plan a visit.

What’s happening on the ground: heritage, crafts and local recovery

Major conservation and rehabilitation programs are underway in Syria’s historic cities. In Aleppo, a coordinated recovery and restoration effort has seen several souqs and key monuments stabilised and reopened as part of a wider recovery master plan developed with local stakeholders and international partners. These interventions aim to revitalise traditional crafts and re-open commercial spaces for shop owners and artisans.

The Aga Khan Development Network and Aga Khan Trust for Culture have been active in restoring markets, shops and citadel areas, and supporting microfinance and craft revival programs that return commercial activity to historic districts. Such culturally-led projects prioritise local craftspeople and inclusive participation as a route to sustainable recovery.

Work to document, stabilise and ultimately rehabilitate Palmyra’s museum and parts of the site has been discussed with international funders and conservation groups; restoring museums and visitor infrastructure is part of long-term plans to allow safe, informed visits in the future.

How to travel ethically and minimise harm

Travel in post-conflict or fragile contexts requires a conflict-sensitive, “do no harm” approach. International guidance for tourism in conflict-affected areas emphasises local leadership, community benefit, and careful communication with stakeholders to avoid exacerbating tensions or commodifying suffering. Operators and visitors should follow frameworks that put communities first.

Practical ethical steps for visitors

• Prioritise local providers: hire licensed local guides, choose family-run guesthouses and book activities with operators who employ local staff.
• Buy local, fairly: purchase crafts from cooperatives and verified workshops rather than middlemen; ask about provenance and craft techniques to ensure authenticity and fair pay.
• Avoid voyeuristic 'conflict tourism': do not sensationalize destruction—ask guides how they interpret difficult histories and whether proceeds support affected communities.
• Respect privacy and consent: always ask permission before photographing people, damaged homes or places of worship; some communities may prefer not to be photographed.
• Avoid unvetted voluntourism: short-term volunteer trips can do more harm than good in fragile settings; prefer long-term, vetted programmes and donate to established local NGOs or humanitarian organisations if you want to help.

Safety, advisories and how to plan responsibly

Before considering travel to Syria you must check up-to-date government travel advisories. Many governments currently advise against travel to Syria because of unpredictable security conditions, terrorism, kidnapping and unexploded ordnance; consular services are limited or unavailable in-country. If you decide to proceed against official advice, you should have robust security, medical evacuation and insurance arrangements.

Planning checklist

1. Confirm the latest travel advisory and re-check it immediately before departure.
2. Arrange travel insurance that covers travel to high-risk destinations and medical evacuation.
3. Work with trusted local operators or embassies (if applicable) to verify permits, safe routes and updated local conditions.
4. Plan to spend money locally: hire local guides, stay in community guesthouses, eat at family-run restaurants and buy directly from cooperatives.

When done carefully and ethically, supporting community-led tours and cultural restoration can help preserve Syria’s living heritage and provide income to artisans, farmers and families involved in recovery work. For travellers who cannot visit safely, consider donating to vetted cultural preservation or humanitarian programmes that partner with local communities and follow conflict-sensitive principles.