Erbil hotels near full capacity amid tourist influx from Iraqi governorates

ERBIL — Hotels and motels in Erbil are nearing full capacity as a significant number of tourists from central and southern Iraqi governorates flood the city during the holiday season. According to the Erbil Hotels and Restaurants Association, about 90% of accommodations are currently occupied.

Aziz Shukr, vice president of the Kurdistan Hotels and Restaurants Association, reported a surge in demand. “We’ve been receiving numerous calls from customers and tourists who are unable to find a place to stay in recent days, as nearly all hotels in Erbil are fully booked,” Shukr told 96media.

The increase in visitors has also boosted demand for restaurants and tourist attractions over the weekend.

This peak season coincides with holiday celebrations and soaring temperatures, affecting particularly those hotels with contracts with tour groups from Baghdad and other areas in central and southern Iraq, which are operating at full capacity. Hotels without contracts are also seeing limited availability. Though Erbil sees very high summer temperatures, other Iraqi cities fare even worse.

Despite the high occupancy, Iranian visitors have not significantly impacted hotel rates in Erbil. “Iranian visitors have little impact on hotel occupancy in Erbil because they typically pass through the city and stay in other Iraqi cities,” explained Shukr.

From August 6 to August 24, the Iraqi Border Crossings Authority reported that 3,413,063 foreign visitors entered Iraq, mainly for the Arbaeen pilgrimage, with 2,502,395 departing the country. The influx occurred through several key border points, including those in the Kurdistan Region.

The Shiite Muslim Arbaeen pilgrimage, marking the end of a 40-day mourning period for Imam Hussein, attracts millions of religious tourists who participate in the symbolic 80-kilometer walk from Najaf to Karbala.

Erbil, which houses 484 hotels and motels, 47 tourist villages, and hundreds of summer cabins, is experiencing high demand during this peak travel period.

The Kurdistan Regional Government is working to expand tourism, aiming to attract 20 million visitors annually by 2030. In 2023, the region welcomed more than 7.2 million visitors, underscoring its growing popularity as a travel destination.