45 Saudi motorcyclists arrive in Damascus for cross-border rally

DAMASCUS: Forty-five Saudi motorcyclists arrived in Damascus after riding from Jeddah as part of the 2026 Saudi-Syrian Motorcycle Rally, a cross-border tour aimed at promoting tourism and cultural exchange between the two countries. Tourism Minister Mazen al-Salhani welcomed the riders on their arrival in Damascus. The group began its journey in Jeddah and traveled north through Yanbu, Al Wajh, Duba, NEOM and Haql before crossing into Jordan and continuing to Syria. The Syrian leg of the rally runs through Oct. 12 and includes stops in several cities and regions, where participants will visit cultural, historical and tourist sites. The rally is organized by the United Motorcyclists Teams in Saudi Arabia and the Arab World under the patronage of Syria's Tourism Ministry and in coordination with sports authorities in both countries. It is being held under the slogan, 'From the Land of the Two Holy Mosques to the Land of Jasmine — Roads That Bring Hearts Together.' Al-Salhani said the rally could help strengthen tourism exchanges between Syria and Saudi Arabia by giving visitors direct experience of the country and its communities. 'Such initiatives present tourism as a direct human experience that brings people closer together and opens the way for greater tourism activity and exchange between Syria and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,' Al-Salhani said. 'We welcome our brothers arriving from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to their country, Syria,' Al-Salhani said. 'This journey is not merely a route traveled by motorcycles between different cities and regions, but an opportunity to discover Syria, meet its people and experience its cultural, natural and historical diversity firsthand.' The riders are expected to continue touring Syria over the coming days before the rally concludes on Oct. 12.