'Atrocity and Genocide Tourism': Anger Spikes at British Travel Blogger For Touring in Syria

After 11 years of full-scale war in the country, Syria has been experiencing relative calm for several months now, enabling many people to travel to the country again.

A photo tweeted by British travel blogger Simon Wilson showing him entering the borders of Syria has stirred debate as online people perceived it as an attempt to whitewash crimes committed by the political leadership that waged war in 2011 to remain in power.

In response to Simon Wilson's tweet, Twitter users angrily reacted in disappointment, saying that he is dismissing the feelings of millions of Syrian refugees who can not go back to Syria under the current political regime, saying that his travel blog from the country will sound like an "Atrocity Tourism" or "Genocide Tourism".

Even though Simon Wilson has not yet posted any videos from Syria, online people explained that traveling to Syria for leisure is an attempt to whitewash the many crimes and massacres committed in the country since 2011 and push the pro-Assad narrative that the country is safe and under his control.

In recent years and as fighting in the country desecrated, debates over whether or not the country is now safe for refugees' return have been on the rise, particularly as the government led by Bashar al-Assad insists that its Russian-backed military has regained control over most the country.

Online people also warned that tourism videos can mislead the public into believing that Syria is safe for millions of refugees who could be persecuted over their anti-Assad views.

They also condemned the fact that YouTubers are looking to make money off videos filmed in Syria when its residents continue to live in impoverished conditions.