Iraqi Kurdistan woos Gulf tourists

According to Kurdish officials at the Arabian Travel Market in Dubai, the fighting didn’t stop two million tourists from coming last year, mostly from across the Middle East, Turkey, Iran, Pakistan and the US.

Bernd Debusmann Jr.

Published: Sat 9 May 2015, 12:34 AM

Last updated: Thu 25 Jun 2015, 10:40 PM

Dubai — Despite sporadic fighting in parts of northern Iraq, tourism officials from Iraqi Kurdistan are hoping to attract tourists from the UAE and other GCC countries to make the autonomous region a tourist hotspot.

Kurdistan Iraq stand at the Arab Travel Market at the Dubai. — KT photo by Rahul Gajjar

According to Kurdish officials at the Arabian Travel Market in Dubai, the fighting didn’t stop two million tourists from coming last year, mostly from across the Middle East, Turkey, Iran, Pakistan and the US. Sirwan Tofiq Shafiq, Kurdistan Regional Government’s Director of Tourism Marketing, said that the number is expected to increase again over the next few years.

“We’re sure of that,” he said. “Tourist facilities in Kurdistan are developing fast.” “It is good in summer, when it is very hot in Dubai, and also during winter time,” he said.

“We have snow facilities in Korek Mountain. In the summer, we have a very nice weather and there are many nice places to enjoy.” UAE locals can take direct flights to Erbil through Emirates, Etihad, FlyDubai and Air Arabia. Aside from the region’s mountains, Kurdish officials note that visitors can enjoy vibrant nightlife or the remnants of Kurdistan’s long history in the form of over 3,500 archaeological sites such as Erbil Citadel, which was named a Unesco World Heritage Site in 2014. “But the first thing to see is the people of Kurdistan,” he said.

“They are a happy lot, and if people see the facilities we have, they will enjoy.” Shafiq noted that many visitors from the UAE and the rest of the GCC come here on business trips and they can then take advantage of tourism opportunities in the region.

bernd@khaleejtimes.com