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Syria’s interim government has announced new regulations requiring women to wear body-covering swimsuits, such as burkinis, at public beaches and pools, while allowing more flexible swimwear at private clubs and luxury hotels.
According to a Reuters report, Syria’s Ministry of Tourism issued a decree dated June 9 detailing new dress codes for women at coastal and poolside locations. The decision marks the first time the Damascus administration has introduced formal swimwear guidelines since the ousting of longtime leader Bashar al-Assad in December.
The regulation mandates "more modest swimsuits" at public facilities, specifically “burkinis or swimming clothes that cover the body more.” However, the ministry noted that “normal Western swimwear” is generally allowed at four-star or higher hotels, private beaches, pools, and clubs, “with adherence to public morals and within the limits of public taste.”
Women are also required to wear a covering or loose bathrobe when moving between beach areas and other public spaces. For men, the decree prohibits being shirtless in areas outside swimming zones—such as hotel lobbies and restaurants—and requires shirts to be worn when not in the water.
Ghiath al-Farrah, Syria’s assistant tourism minister, said the decision does not ban Western swimwear entirely, emphasizing that the new rules apply specifically to public venues.
The June 9 decree also included general public safety measures, advising beachgoers not to remain under the sun for prolonged periods and to watch out for jellyfish.
The regulatory shift comes as Syria transitions from decades of Baathist rule. Bashar al-Assad, who governed Syria for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia in December following the collapse of his regime. In January, Ahmed al-Sharaa, a key figure in the opposition, was declared president for a transitional period.
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