The Syrian regime’s government issued a decision today, Monday, October 14, allowing licensed tourism businesses by the Ministry of Tourism to collect their service fees in foreign currency.

The Prime Minister’s Office stated via Facebook that the Prime Minister, Mohammad Ghazi al-Jalali, issued a decision allowing licensed tourism businesses, in accordance with the provisions of Law No. 2 of 2009, to collect their service commissions in foreign currency while carrying out their work.

The decision also permits the collection of costs for tourism services that must be collected in foreign currency, according to the nature of the service or the tourism programs advertised by these businesses, after obtaining the necessary approvals, in a manner that does not contradict the applicable foreign currency regulations.

This decision comes amid a continuous increase in the number of Lebanese displaced persons arriving in Syria due to the ongoing Israeli war in southern Lebanon.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported today, Monday, that about 276,000 displaced individuals crossed from Lebanon into Syria, 60% of whom are under 18 years old. According to the commission, 70% of the displaced persons are Syrians, while 30% are Lebanese.

Lebanese newcomers need to conduct cash transactions in their daily lives and necessities, such as hotel reservations, which means paying in US dollars, the main currency used in daily transactions in Lebanon, alongside the Lebanese pound.

According to the official bulletin issued by the Central Bank of Syria (CBS) today, Monday, the price of the dollar is 12,500 pounds for purchase and 12,265 Syrian pounds for sale.

Punishment for dealing in dollars

The Syrian regime emphasizes the prevention of citizens in its controlled areas from trading and dealing in US dollars. Last week, the Criminal Security Branch of the Ministry of Interior of the Syrian regime’s government arrested seven individuals in the cities of Aleppo and Deir Ezzor on charges of dealing in US dollars and conducting financial remittances.

The Ministry of Interior stated in a statement on October 7 that five individuals were caught in Aleppo with $3,500 in US currency, in addition to 31 million and 600 thousand Syrian pounds.

The statement added that the arrests were part of the pursuit of those dealing in currencies other than the Syrian pound and those conducting financial transactions illegally.

The Criminal Security Branch also arrested two individuals on charges of dealing in foreign currencies in Deir Ezzor, seizing $2,000 and 1,600,000 Syrian pounds that were in their possession, according to the Ministry of Interior.