PEIFE

The Public Establishment for International Fairs and Exhibitions, the state entity managing the Syrian lottery, plans to print over one million tickets for the New Year’s edition, doubling both the ticket prices and the grand prize.

The 61st edition of the Damascus International Trade Fair closed its doors last week with mixed results for the Syrian government and economy.

Some 33 trade exhibitions are planned this year in Syria, according to the state’s trade fairs regulatory body.

Syrians’ expenses on the lottery continued to increase in the first quarter of this year.

The Public Establishment for International Fair and Exhibitions generated profits of SYP 1.2 billion in 2008, according to its general manager, Mohammad Hammoud.

Syria’s national lottery generated SYP 3.6 billion in income in 2006 according to Firas Kardaly, public relations director at the public establishment for fairs and exhibitions (PIFE).