Syrian travel tip: From Damascus to Sea of Galilee
According to maps handed out by Syrian tourism booth, tourists can hire car in Damascus and drive all the way to Lake Kinneret
Did you know that tourists visiting Syria can drive from Damascus to the Sea of Galilee? According to the maps being distributed by the Syrians at the WTM tourism fair in London, this is indeed possible.
Some 200 countries are participating in the tourism fair currently being held in London. Bar Refaeli, Israel's celebrated top model, appeared at the Israeli booth on Monday and along with Tourism Minister Isaac Herzog cut the ribbon to the booth.
Refaeli has volunteered to assist at the event finding time in between her fashion shoots in Palma de Majorca and visiting her boyfriend Leonardo DiCaprio in Los Angeles Wednesday.
"Since I began touring the world, I have come to understand how Israel is second to none," Rafaeli said.
Organizers made sure the Israeli booth would be located at a fair distance from the Arab booths but this didn't stop Herzog from paying their booths a visit.
At the Iranian booth, he met a travel agent who told him that many Israelis have visited Iran using European passports. In the middle of the conversation an Iranian representative asked the Iranian travel agent to break up the conversation.
No package tours sold yet
Herzog also visited the Syrian and Lebanese booths and spent some time with his Egyptian counterpart. The Lebanese tourism minister marketed reduced package tours to the north of his country and refused to answer questions posed by the Israeli Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper or to shake hands with the minister.
"Speaking to an Israeli newspaper could be harmful for us," he said.
The Syrian booth wasn't enthusiastic about Herzog's visit either, but a surprise awaited him there.The Syrians are handing out tourist maps according to which an innocent tourist can plan a trip from Damascus to the Sea of Galilee in a rented car.
The border, according to the Syrian map passes through the Sea of Galilee. It should be noted, however, that the Syrians are not yet selling package tours to the Galilee. Representatives at the Syrian booth also refused to answer the Israeli reporter's questions.
