Activity in Syria’s hospitality and event organizing sector is increasing as the country hosts exhibitions and economic forums and receives foreign business delegations.
The costs of hosting delegations and organizing events, from hotel bookings and airline tickets to reception and transportation arrangements, are among the expenses that business councils consider necessary to build trade relations and attract investment.
Laith al-Rakkabi, executive director of the Syrian-Chinese Business Council, said hosting a delegation of 20 to 30 people in Syria could cost between $100,000 and $200,000.
Al-Rakkabi was speaking during a seminar attended by Enab Baladi at the Damascus Chamber of Commerce on October 7, 2026. Syrian traders and business council representatives discussed the costs of organizing events and hosting foreign delegations visiting the country or participating in Syrian exhibitions.
He explained that these expenses extend beyond accommodation to include organizing visits to governorates and arranging reception and transportation for the delegation.
Business Council Budgets and Spending Oversight
Al-Rakkabi said business councils incur costs when participating in exhibitions, forums, and economic events, as well as when organizing visits abroad for Syrian businesspeople. These costs, he said, should be factored into the budgets for those activities.
He said business councils operate within legal frameworks linked to the Ministry of Economy and Industry and the relevant authorities.
He noted that the Syrian-Chinese Business Council, like other councils, has bylaws ratified by the Ministry of Economy and Industry. The council is subject to financial audits and governance requirements that, he said, require its figures to be clear and transparent to the public.
The costs these councils bear when organizing events and receiving delegations highlight the need to explain their expenditure.
Al-Rakkabi linked spending on these activities to the councils’ commercial work, arguing that it was more than incidental expenditure.
Al-Muhaimeed: NASTEX Cost Exceeded $5 Million
Fadi al-Ahmad al-Muhaimeed, a board member of the Syrian Sovereign Fund, said the estimated cost of the Syria International Textile Exhibition, NASTEX, exceeded $5 million.
The exhibition was held at Damascus Fairgrounds from July 18 to 21, and Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa attended its opening.
Al-Muhaimeed, who also chairs the Syrian-Chinese Business Council, said the council covered expenses during the exhibition that included:
– Booking 400 hotel rooms.
– Paying for more than 100 airline tickets for participating delegations.
– Renting the exhibition venue and covering other expenses.
The exhibition was organized by the international investment company GrowFast and Al-Nassaj Group, which specializes in textiles and furnishings. Both companies are owned by al-Muhaimeed.
Al-Muhaimeed: Spending to Attract Foreign Companies
Al-Muhaimeed said travel expenses for delegations participating in NASTEX were among the costs covered by the organizers. He added that the exhibition attracted widespread attention and was ranked, according to him, among the world’s ten most important exhibitions.
He linked these expenses to the need to create a suitable environment for attracting foreign companies to Syria. He said Syria’s main challenge following the political change was its economic situation and the need for investment to help rebuild productive sectors.
He said small and medium-sized enterprises account for the largest share of the Syrian economy and that reconstruction cannot take place without them. At the same time, he pointed to the need for large foreign companies to serve as the foundation for industrial and investment projects, around which networks of suppliers and local factories could develop.
He cited the example of a Chinese paint factory that could stimulate business at other factories, including textile factories. Attracting such investments, he said, requires initial spending to build relationships and persuade companies to come to Syria.
Upcoming Chinese Delegation Could Cost Hundreds of Thousands
Discussing an upcoming visit to Syria by a Chinese business delegation, al-Muhaimeed said the group would comprise around 40 people.
He explained that preparations include booking accommodation at the Four Seasons Hotel Damascus and arranging reception and departure services in coordination with the Syrian-Chinese Business Council. He expected the cost to reach hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Al-Muhaimeed stressed that, in his view, these expenses are part of efforts to attract foreign investment and establish a foundation for new projects.
Ghreiwati: Syrian-American Business Forum Cost $250,000
Issam Ghreiwati, chairman of the Syrian-American Business Council, said organizing a forum for the council in July cost approximately $250,000. This example reflects the scale of spending required for events aimed at bringing Syrian companies together with their foreign counterparts.
He explained that business councils connect Syrian manufacturers with importers in other countries and foreign companies with Syrian traders. Doing so, he noted, requires organizing forums, exhibitions, and business meetings.
He added that receiving Syrian government or business delegations abroad requires preparations that enable their members to meet foreign companies and learn about investment opportunities available in Syria. These meetings aim to persuade companies to enter the Syrian market.
According to Ghreiwati, expenses include renting hotel conference halls and inviting companies to participate. They may also include covering airline tickets for representatives of key companies when necessary to secure their participation.
The first annual Syrian-American Business Forum was held over one day in July. It was organized by the Ministry of Economy and Industry in cooperation with the Syrian-American Business Council, with Syrian government officials, businesspeople, and investors from both countries participating.