Over 90,000 tourists flock to Kurdistan Region capital for Eid

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – More than 90 thousand tourists, mostly from central and southern Iraqi provinces, have visited the Kurdistan Region capital of Erbil since mid-July, according to local authorities.

The tourists have primarily entered the autonomous region by road. Although the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has strict rules for who can enter its territory, entry during popular holidays is facilitated by paperwork filed by travel agencies with offices in other Iraqi provinces.

Since mid-July 90,169 tourists have visited Erbil, according to the city’s General Directorate of Tourism, which monitors visitors coming largely through the Sherawa checkpoint, located at the border between Erbil and Kirkuk.

The Kurdistan Region’s four provinces regularly host thousands of tourists from other parts of Iraq as they escape from the scorching summer heat. Other times of the year have also seen a steady increase in tourism.

Kurdistan 24 previously reported that, in the two days before the beginning of the Islamic feast of Eid al-Adha, over 30,000 tourists had already entered.

Read More: Over 30,000 Iraqi tourists arrive in Erbil for Eid vacation

In addition to the relatively low temperature in hot summer, the stability, security, and existence of recreational activities at mountainous resorts of the Kurdistan Region attract tourists.

Editing by John J. Catherine