Duhok Launches Second Summer Festival to Boost Tourism, Trade, and Local Business
The 11-day festival brings together exhibitors from across the Kurdistan Region and several Arab countries, creating new opportunities for tourism, local businesses, and youth employment.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - The Second Duhok Summer Festival, which began on July 10, 2026, is continuing its 11-day program in Duhok province, bringing together exhibitors from across the Kurdistan Region alongside participants from several Arab countries in an event aimed at stimulating tourism, supporting local businesses, and expanding commercial activity.
The festival will feature broad participation from all provinces of the Kurdistan Region as well as exhibitors from the United Arab Emirates and Egypt, highlighting products and traditions from across the region and the Arab world.
More than 70 exhibition tents have been set up at the festival, each offering a wide range of products representing different cultures. Organizers said they have sought to keep prices affordable for both residents and visitors.
Arab participation has added a distinctive international dimension to this year's event. The United Arab Emirates is represented by exhibitors specializing in traditional perfumes popular among lovers of Oriental fragrances.
Ali Rashid, owner of an Emirati perfume company participating in the festival, said such events help strengthen commercial ties and encourage the exchange of expertise between Arab businesses and consumers in the Kurdistan Region.
Meanwhile, Egyptian exhibitor Mohammed Omar, who is presenting traditional Egyptian juices, said he was pleased by the positive response from festival visitors, describing the event as an opportunity to introduce people in Duhok to the flavors and beverages of Egypt's cultural heritage.
Alongside international participation, the festival provides an important platform for small businesses and family-run enterprises across the Kurdistan Region to display handmade products and traditional foods.
Umm Maryam, owner of a Kurdish restaurant participating in the event, said the festival offers valuable support for local entrepreneurs.
"Holding festivals like this is extremely important for business owners," she told Kurdistan24. "They allow us to prepare and present traditional Kurdish dishes to visitors and introduce them to our culinary heritage. We believe these events should continue because they provide direct support for local producers."
Organizers say the festival is intended not only as a recreational destination for families during the summer but also as an initiative with broader economic and social benefits.
Mahmoud Mohammed, the festival's general supervisor, said the event seeks to provide an enjoyable family atmosphere while offering products and food at affordable prices.
"The festival's main objective is to create a recreational space for families during the summer, provide goods and food at discounted prices, and help reduce unemployment by creating temporary job opportunities for local young people in organization, sales, and other sectors," he said.
Organizers believe Duhok has become well positioned to host major seasonal events and expect the festival to further energize the province's commercial activity throughout its 11-day run.
In addition to attracting visitors from across the Kurdistan Region and beyond, the festival is expected to support local markets, create dozens of temporary jobs in hospitality, marketing, and event management, and further strengthen Duhok's growing tourism sector.