Key facts
- Palmyra, a UNESCO heritage site, suffered significant destruction and looting by the Islamic State and during military campaigns.
- Efforts are underway to revive the city's economy, primarily through tourism, to restore livelihoods.
- Reconstruction plans exist, but visible support remains limited, with residents leading rebuilding efforts.
- New tourist facilities are opening, and local initiatives aim to support women through handicraft production.
- The city's revival is hampered by regional instability affecting travel and momentum.
Palmyra, a city renowned for its ancient heritage and cultural diversity, is striving for a post-conflict revival after enduring years of civil war, occupation by the Islamic State (IS), and successive military campaigns. The IS group's brutal occupation in 2015 saw public executions in the Roman Amphitheatre and the destruction of iconic ancient landmarks like the Arch of Triumph and the Temple of Bel, driven by an iconoclastic ideology and to generate revenue through artifact trafficking. The modern city also suffered extensive damage, looting, and destruction during military operations.
While Unesco has developed a recovery roadmap for Palmyra, including conservation and livelihood initiatives, residents and officials report a significant gap between these plans and tangible support on the ground. The reconstruction is largely being driven by the returnees themselves, who see tourism as the primary engine for economic recovery and restoring livelihoods that were devastated by the war. Before 2011, tourism constituted about half of the city's economy.
Signs of regeneration are emerging, with new tourist facilities like the Silk Road Lodge opening and initiatives like the Noor al-Badia women's cooperative training local women in handicrafts. However, the city's momentum is frequently disrupted by renewed regional instability, which affects travel and flights. For the people of Palmyra, attracting visitors is paramount, viewing tourism not just as a means to rebuild infrastructure like hotels and restaurants, but as an essential lifeline to bring money back into the city and support thousands of local businesses.