Syria and Lebanon discussed plans Wednesday to develop joint tourism routes connecting the two countries and extending to Jordan as part of efforts to offer more integrated regional travel experiences, Syria’s state news agency SANA reported.

Tourism Minister Mazen al-Salhani and his Lebanese counterpart, Laura Khazen Lahoud, held talks at the Tourism Ministry in Damascus on easier entry procedures for visitors, tourism exchanges and greater cooperation between the two countries.

The two sides also discussed cooperation in the hospitality sector and opportunities for Syrian and Lebanese restaurant brands to expand in both markets through franchise models.

They agreed to prepare a tourism memorandum of understanding covering priority areas of cooperation and to work toward holding a Syrian-Lebanese tourism forum that would bring together government bodies, investors and private-sector tourism and hospitality companies.

Al-Salhani said integrating Syria’s and Lebanon’s tourism assets could help develop routes capable of attracting wider markets and creating new opportunities for investors and tourism companies.

“A tourist does not look at the region in the way borders are drawn on a map; they are looking for a rich and diverse experience,” he said.

He added that Syria’s location between Lebanon and Jordan provides an opportunity to develop routes combining multiple destinations in a single trip, increasing visitors’ length of stay and spending while creating greater opportunities for tourism and hospitality businesses.

Lahoud stressed the importance of strengthening cooperation between the two countries’ tourism ministries and private sectors, taking advantage of their proximity and cultural and tourism diversity to develop joint tourism products and facilitate visitor movement.