ALBAWABA - In a notable development signaling Syria's gradual reintegration with the international financial system, Beit Al Wali Hotel in Damascus has become the first hotel in the country to accept Visa and Mastercard payments, even before the official lifting of U.S. sanctions.
Beit Al Wali's announcement on Facebook and Instagram says that it now accepts Visa and Mastercard cards. This is a rare change in a country that has been cut off from global financial networks for almost 14 years.
The U.S. Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) just issued an Executive Order that will lift sanctions on Syria starting July 1, 2025. They also reissued General License 25 (GL 25) to allow some transactions.
In May 2025, President Trump announced a major policy change at a Saudi-U.S. Investment Forum. This was followed by government actions to lift long-standing restrictions.
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What This Means for Business and Travel
Beit Al Wali is the first hotel to accept international card payments, which makes it easier for international guests who had trouble with cash-only conditions before. The ease of transactions is likely to help tourism come back, especially since major travel agencies, Booking.com, and Airbnb may soon start accepting payments from all over the world again.
For local businesses, this pilot initiative provides a roadmap, demonstrating that with regulatory clarity and payment infrastructure in place, broader acceptance of electronic payments is feasible.
In the Future
OFAC's full lifting of sanctions is a big step forward, but the successful restoration of Visa and Mastercard services in Syria depends on the actual reconnection of Syrian banks to global networks and the logistics of making it happen.
Still, Beit Al Wali Hotel's early use is a good sign for the future. As sanctions are lifted and foreign investment comes back, these kinds of actions could get the economy moving again after being held back for so long. They could also help Syria become a viable place to visit again on the world map.
