Tourism Minister: Damascus explosion was an isolated incident

Syria's Tourism Minister Saad al-Allah Agha al-Qalaa on Wednesday said that the terrorist act which broke out yesterday in Damascus was an isolated incident and it has never witnessed such acts in syria for more twenty years, adding the Syrian tourism will not be affected by it.

In a press conference with the Secretary General of World Tourism Organization ( WTO ) Francesco Frangialli and the Head of the International Union of Tourist Groups' Organizers, Qalaa stressed that the Syrian Government and the security authorities immediately rushed to the scene of the incident, took control of the situation and life returned to normal.

He stressed the importance of the symposium held by WTO in Damascus in enhancing and improving the tourism in the Arab states, referring to the importance of communications and IT in the enhancement of world tourism.

Frangialli, for his part, appreciated the great progress in tourism sector in Syria. He added Syria possesses great capabilities and important tourist and historical sites, and it ( Syria ) achieves important steps toward the tourism enhancement. The Head of the International Union of Tourist Groups' Organizers, for his part, said the Travel Advice Bulletin issued by the British Foreign Ministry yesterday reported the terrorist act which took place yesterday in Damascus without giving a warning not to travel to Syria. He stressed that the act will not affect tourism in Syria.