30,000 Tourists Visit Balakayati as Tourism Infrastructure Expands
Tourism investment is expanding across Balakayati as new resorts, cottages and visitor facilities seek to meet growing demand.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - More than 30,000 tourists visited the Balakayati region last month as the mountainous area continues to attract visitors with its cooler climate and expanding tourism infrastructure, according to the Choman Tourism Directorate.
Halgurd Mohammed, Director of Tourism in Choman, told Kurdistan24 that visitors came from across the Kurdistan Region, central and southern Iraq, and abroad.
He said the number is expected to increase further as new tourism projects are developed and existing attractions expand.
Tourism demand drives new projects
Mohammed said the figure does not include people who travel independently to the mountains for camping, meaning the actual number of visitors to the wider area is likely higher.
Balakayati's relatively cool summer climate is a major draw.
Temperatures in the region rarely exceed 30 C during the summer, while snow remains in some mountainous areas throughout the year.
The region currently has more than 40 established tourist sites, while demand has also increased for traditional-style accommodation and privately operated Orchard houses (Xanebaxe), or cottages built within gardens.
More than 220 such units are now operating in the area, according to Mohammed.
The growing demand has prompted investors to expand tourism infrastructure.
Several projects are currently under construction, while others have completed the licensing process and are preparing to begin work.
Mohammed said investors from other parts of the Kurdistan Region are visiting Balakayati regularly to explore new opportunities.
Authorities, he added, are facilitating investment in accordance with existing regulations, with projects expected to meet international quality standards and be suitable for the region's mountainous climate.
A year-round destination
The Choman tourism official said development is no longer focused exclusively on the summer season. Preparations are already underway to accommodate visitors during the winter, reinforcing efforts to establish Balakayati as a year-round destination.
The region encompasses Choman district, four sub-districts and about 120 villages, with its mountainous landscape providing a range of sites for nature-based tourism.
The surge in visitors comes as the Kurdistan Regional Government seeks to expand tourism as part of efforts to diversify the economy beyond oil.
Recent investment data from the KRG Board of Investment showed that tourism accounted for nearly 35 percent of total investment in the Kurdistan Region over the past seven years, attracting about $7.68 billion.
That broader investment has included hotels, recreational facilities, national parks and other tourism infrastructure across the region.
For Balakayati, the challenge now is to turn rising visitor numbers into sustainable, year-round tourism while ensuring that new development preserves the natural environment that has made the area increasingly popular.