Nearly 60K domestic tourists have visited Duhok Province thus far

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Khairi Ali Aso, director of the Duhok tourism directorate, on Saturday told Kurdistan 24 that nearly 60,000 tourists from southern and central Iraq had visited tourist attractions in Duhok Province by Friday for the Eid al-Adha (Feast of Sacrifice) holiday. The number is expected to rise to more than 100,000 by July 8.

Aso said that the arrival of this large number of tourists has had a profound impact on Duhok Province's market and economy. 

He also stated that they have worked to build more hotels and tourist accommodations for tourists, and called on investors to build more tourist accommodations.

Previously, Ibrahim Abdulmajid, spokesperson for the Kurdistan Regional Government's (KRG) General Board of Tourism, told Kurdistan 24 that more than 300,000 tourists are expected to visit the tourist destinations of the Kurdistan Region.

More than six million tourists visited the Kurdistan Region in 2022.

In addition to the holiday season, thousands of domestic tourists from across Iraq visit the northern Kurdistan Region, known for its mountain resorts and relatively cool temperatures, to escape the scorching summer heat in southern Iraq.

The KRG has proposed plans to further boost the tourism sector as an alternative to its overreliance on hydrocarbon revenues. The plan includes an eight-year plan to attract 20 million tourists annually.

The government launched an electronic visa application system earlier this year in a bid to facilitate investment and tourist traffic into the Region.