SULAIMANI – (ESTA) When compared to other Kurdistan Region cities، Sulaimani’s tourist regions are witnessing an upsurge in visitors.
Mahmoud Tofiq، president of the Sulaimani branch of the Kurdistan Hotels and Restaurants Association، told Esta Media Network that “a significant number of tourists visited Sulaimani and the surrounding tourist areas during the Eid al-Adha holidays، which was much higher than the previous Ramadan.”.
“In Sulaimani، we can provide accommodation، food، and drink for up to 25،000 people at the same time،” he said.
Mahmoud Tofiq explained the reasons for the increase in tourists، due to the organization and beauty of the tourism sector in Sulaimani، proper treatment of tourists، the coincidence of holidays in southern Iraq with the holidays in the region، and rising temperatures.
The president of the Association of Hotels and Restaurants called the tourism sector “everyone benefits from it، first of all the Kurdistan Regional Government،” but criticized that the government does not support the sector; they should be introduced to the Kurdistan Region so that they can return to the region.
He explained that “in 2019، they held a “Nergiz Tourism Forum” and signed 67 contracts; so far، the tourists to Sulaimani are the groups that have been contracted that year.”Also said، “The government does not take two such steps for the country to sign such contracts and attract tourists to the cities of the region.”.
On June 22، the Sulaimani Tourism Directorate reported that 159 thousand 583 tourists visited Sulaimani and its surroundings between June 14 and 2; last year، 120،460 tourists visited Sulaimani.
He added that “more than 90% of tourists from central and southern Iraq have traveled to Sulaimani; about 10% of visitors from East Kurdistan and foreign countries have done so through checkpoints، followed by border gates and airports، and moved to the city.
Regarding the tourism revenue of Sulaimani Tourism، it was revealed that if each tourist spent $ 200، the tourist revenue on the occasion of Eid al-Adha this year was about $ 32 million، distributed to employers and traders.
