Muslim holiday boost
Sulaymaniyah tourism directorate prepares to welcome Eid Al-Adha visitors
SULAYMANIYAH — Sulaymaniyah’s tourism directorate says it is fully prepared to welcome tourists for Eid festivities, having established a welcoming committee to ensure visitors experience the best of the city from their arrival.
Aram Shwani, a spokesperson for Sulaymaniyah’s tourism department, told 964media that teams are actively monitoring tourist sites to prevent price gouging and any potential inappropriate behavior towards visitors.
“We have a hotline for tourists to call if they encounter any issues, get lost, or need assistance, and we will promptly respond to help them,” Shwani said.
During Eid al-Fitr in April, more than 61,000 tourists visited Sulaymaniyah governorate. The tourism directorate expects higher numbers for the upcoming Eid Al-Adha.
“Currently, the southern and central areas of Iraq are very hot, and the school year has ended, so we anticipate an increase in tourist numbers,” Shwani added.
The Kurdistan Region’s General Board of Tourism expects more than 300,000 visitors to the region during Eid.
“Simplified procedures have been implemented at checkpoints, allowing tourists to enter the cities within five minutes,” Ibrahim Abdulmajid, a spokesperson for the board, told 964media. “Tourists will receive maps, guides, and brochures of various areas in the Kurdistan Region. A hotline is also available for tourists to contact in case of any issues.”
From April 8 to 13, 2024, which coincided with the week of Eid, the region saw a significant influx of tourists, primarily from southern and central Iraq. “Of these 200,000 visitors, 70,000 toured Erbil, 61,000 visited Sulaymaniyah, and 30,000 explored Dohuk. The rest traveled to various other areas within Kurdistan,” Abdulmajid explained.
From Jan. 1 to April 13, 2024, tourist sites in the Kurdistan Region attracted approximately 1.7 million visitors.