Nobody knows for sure but on the beaches of Latakia, many Syrians are enjoying life after Assad. In June 2025 the tourism ministry issued rules requiring women to wear burkinis or other modest swimwear at public beaches and pools. At the public beach, families arrive with plastic tubs of food, bags of bread and flasks of tea. It’s polished but not precious – an “affordable fancy beach club”, as its owner, Manaf Kaddour, puts it while showing us around the spa, shops, beauty salon, gym and rooftop nightclub. Last year, Syria signed tourism investment contracts worth about €1.3bn, for projects including hotels, resorts, entertainment and the rehabilitation of historic areas.