$7 Million Tourism Project Opens in Duhok as KRG Pushes Investment Drive
Built on a 10,000-square-meter site, the project includes a hotel, restaurants, and a swimming pool, adding to Duhok's growing tourism infrastructure.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – One of Duhok province's largest tourism projects, valued at $7 million, has been completed as the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) continues to expand investment in the tourism sector through incentives and streamlined procedures.
Built on a 10,000-square-meter site, the project includes a hotel, restaurants, and a swimming pool, adding to Duhok's growing tourism infrastructure.
Government incentives, including tax reductions and simplified administrative procedures, have played a key role in encouraging private investment in the sector.
"My project is one of the largest tourism initiatives in Duhok province," project owner Rabin Banasuri told Kurdistan24. "The facilities and support provided by the KRG have been a major step forward for us. They made it easier to carry out a project of this scale in Duhok and provide quality services to tourists."
The project is part of the KRG's broader strategy to strengthen tourism as a pillar of economic diversification.
According to Haval Sideeq, Director of Investment in Duhok, authorities are continuing to simplify licensing procedures to attract more investors.
"We continue working to ensure investors can obtain project licenses through the easiest possible procedures," Sideeq told Kurdistan24. "Our strategy is to make Duhok the tourism capital, which is why we are providing every possible facilitation. We also have several other strategic projects planned for implementation."
Duhok has licensed 68 tourism projects under the province's investment program, with several more approved for development. Another 25 tourism projects are currently in the licensing stage before construction begins.
The province is home to more than 750 tourist sites, making it one of the Kurdistan Region's leading tourism destinations.
The tourism sector has become the largest contributor to the Kurdistan Region's economic diversification efforts under the KRG's Ninth Cabinet. It has attracted approximately $7.68 billion in investment in recent years - around 35% of the region's total investment portfolio - helping reduce reliance on oil revenues.
The Kurdistan Region currently welcomes about 8 million visitors annually and aims to increase that figure to 20 million by 2035. Tourism investments have also generated more than 20,000 jobs, with 80% of the positions filled by local workers.