Dubai entrepreneur launches My Syria app for Damascus tourism bookings

Dubai-based operator launches booking platform for Damascus market#

Dubai hospitality company 121 Living launched My Syria app on 30 July 2026, a booking platform for hotels, taxis, car rentals and services in Damascus. The app operates under the patronage of Syria's Ministry of Tourism and supports cross-border digital payments through Apple Pay, Google Pay, Visa, Mastercard and American Express. Co-founder Rami Kaiem, who has lived in Dubai for nearly 20 years, developed the platform to address the absence of online booking infrastructure in Syria, where hotel reservations currently require direct calls and bank transfers. The app currently offers eight services in Damascus, with plans to expand to over 40 services across 14 Syrian cities.

Ministry of Tourism backs private sector digital solution#

Syria's Minister of Tourism Mazen Al-Salhani stated the government aims to create an enabling environment for private sector digital solutions that enhance visitor experiences and improve sector competitiveness. Al-Salhani invited technology companies globally, regionally and locally to explore opportunities in Syria's digital transformation across tourism and the wider economy. Kaiem met with the Minister of Tourism two to three times during the development phase. The platform is the first in Syria to support cross-border digital payments and represents a partnership between government and private operators to bring tourism services online.

Operator cites Dubai benchmark for service delivery model#

Kaiem stated the UAE set a benchmark for services, hospitality and e-commerce that shaped the platform's design. The app's name draws on Dubai's branding conventions, and the operator applied lessons from Dubai's digital commerce environment to the Syrian market. Kaiem noted logistics and mindset challenges in bringing hotels that have operated offline for years onto online dashboards and booking systems. Practical hurdles remain despite official sanctions being lifted, with users inside Syria requiring VPN or proxy access to reach many platforms including the Apple Store. The operator plans to extend the model to Jordan, Iraq and Lebanon.

Platform targets tourism infrastructure gap in Damascus#

The app addresses a market gap where no established international booking platforms currently operate in Syria. Kaiem stated Syria's tourism fundamentals include ancient cities, mountains, beaches and historical sites, with Damascus among the world's oldest continuously inhabited cities. The platform aims to present Syrian destinations in an organised and accessible format for international travellers who depend on online tools for destination selection. The operator is focused on expanding service coverage across Syrian cities and building digital infrastructure for a market that has operated offline for over a decade.