Record 3.4 Million Tourists in 2025 Signal Erbil’s Rise as a Regional Hub

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - As fireworks lit the skies above Erbil’s historic citadel and crowds filled its streets on the final night of 2025, the Kurdistan Region’s capital closed the year with record tourism figures, reflecting a city that has become a focal point for visitors, public celebrations, and long-term development plans.

Erbil Governor Omid Khoshnaw said the capital received more than three million and 400 thousand tourists from the beginning of 2025 through Dec. 31, according to statistics from the Kurdistan Regional Government’s Tourism Board. He noted that the number undoubtedly increased further during the final days of the year due to Christmas celebrations and the New Year holiday.

Khoshnaw made the remarks during a press conference held near the historic Erbil Citadel in the city center, just hours before bidding farewell to 2025. He said the past year was marked by challenges and hardships, but also by the resilience of the people of Kurdistan and the achievement of major strategic accomplishments.

He explained that 2025 witnessed the implementation of many important service projects in Erbil, including road construction, water projects, and infrastructure development, in addition to strengthening the security, health, and education sectors across the capital. Khoshnaw expressed his gratitude to Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani for his support.

The Erbil governor also unveiled a service program and plan for 2026 aimed at expanding the provision of services across the city in various sectors. He confirmed that a number of service projects have already been planned for implementation during the coming year.

Khoshnaw further thanked all those involved in preparations for welcoming the New Year in Erbil, stressing that the arrangements had been completed in full.

Over the past several days, numerous entertainment centers, public squares, and central areas of Erbil have hosted celebrations and artistic festivals marking the arrival of the New Year. The festivities reached their peak on Wednesday evening, as thousands of citizens and tourists from different Iraqi provinces and from outside the Kurdistan Region flocked to the city just hours before the start of 2026.

Celebrations were concentrated primarily near the historic citadel in central Erbil, Ankawa district, Peshmerga Park, Iskan Street, the Empire and Boulevard areas, and many other sites and landmarks across the city. The events took place amid heightened security and service measures to organize traffic flow and secure the celebration sites.

The tourism growth in Erbil comes as Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani officially launched the “Visit Kurdistan” initiative, a tourism-focused foundation aimed at transforming the Kurdistan Region into a global travel destination, with a target of hosting more than 20 million tourists by 2035.

The “Visit Kurdistan” foundation is a non-governmental organization established more than a year ago and operating under the umbrella of the tourism sector. According to the initiative’s spokesperson, Halmet Kestaei, the foundation’s mission is to showcase the Kurdistan Region’s natural beauty and promote international tourism across its diverse landscapes.

“Our goal is to advance the tourism sector and attract international tourists to the Kurdistan Region,” Kestaei told Kurdistan24. “We aim to bring more than 20 million tourists to the Region by 2035. The initiative will also create over 500 job opportunities.”

Kestaei said the initiative’s broader vision includes developing tourism infrastructure and providing digital services for booking hotels, accommodations, and travel tickets through an integrated online platform designed for international visitors. One of the flagship projects under the initiative is a 10-kilometer-long cable car project in the town of Soran, expected to be completed by 2027, featuring ten stations, hotels, cafés, and recreational facilities.

The Kurdistan Region has long been viewed as a relatively safe and scenic destination in the Middle East, known for its mountainous landscapes, historical landmarks, and cultural heritage. The launch of the initiative aligns with the Kurdistan Regional Government’s efforts to diversify the economy and reduce dependence on oil revenues by investing in sectors such as tourism, agriculture, and manufacturing.

With millions of visitors recorded in 2025 and new service and tourism initiatives underway, Erbil enters 2026 positioning itself as a central hub for celebration, development, and long-term economic diversification in the Kurdistan Region.