Thousands of tourists celebrate Eid al-Fitr in Kurdistan Region

Thousands of tourists chose to enjoy their three-day Eid al-Fitr holiday in the resorts and cities of the Kurdistan Region.

The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has made extensive preparations to welcome these tourists and has made sure that police and security forces are doing everything possible to maintain the safety, stability, and security that everyone enjoys in the region.

According to the Kurdistan Board of Tourism, more tourists have come from the west and south of Iraq than last year.

There is plenty for tourists to do in the Kurdistan Region. They can choose from the vibrant nightlife in Erbil, hiking in the mountains, resorts in Erbil, Duhok, and Sulaimani, public parks, restaurants with local meals, shopping malls, and historical and archaeological attractions.

“All my family has come to enjoy their Eid in Erbil,” Ammar Basim, a tourist from Basra, told Kurdistan 24. “The weather is perfect here, and we have a lot to do in the week that we’re staying here.”

Amal Jamal, the head of the Kurdistan Tourism Board, posted a welcome note to all the tourists who chose the Kurdistan Region to spend Eid on the Board’s official social media.

“I welcome all the tourists here in the Kurdistan Region, and I wish them a happy and enjoyable stay and Eid Mubarak,” read the post. “I also appreciate the role of security, police, and Peshmarga forces in keeping safety and security of everyone, and the role of health, firefighters, and civil defense departments who work hard during the holiday for the sake of locals and tourists to enjoy the Eid.”

“We enjoy our best holiday here in Erbil, away from the deadly dust storm in Baghdad,” said Alya Abood, a tourist from Baghdad. “Erbil’s rain and green landscapes just made our holiday much better. During our stay in Erbil, we plan to go to the waterfalls, mountains, Shaqlawa, and Duhok city.”

The number of tourists spending Eid in the Kurdistan Region this year is expectedly to increase significantly compared to the previous three years due to the dust storms in Baghdad and other cities in Iraq.

“We have come to Erbil because it is a holiday, and we want to enjoy our time here,” said Mehmet Jabir, a tourist from Mosul. “We have plans to go to Sulaimani too. I can’t wait to see all the beautiful places in the Kurdistan Region in this lively weather.”