ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Approximately 3.5 million tourists visited Erbil in the first 11 months of last year, announced Governor Omed Xoshnaw on Wednesday.
Citing figures from the Kurdistan Region’s tourism authorities, Xoshnaw told Rudaw that from January 1 to December 1 of last year, 3.4 million tourists visited the Kurdish capital. “Undoubtedly the number of tourists increased further in the final month of the year as well.”
The governor also said that full attention has been given to the tourism sector, noting that “the government has made efforts to develop the tourism sector, and facilities have also been provided for investors in this field.”
Regarding the arrival of tourist groups to Erbil, the governor explained: “Previously, they were only able to come to Erbil during the daytime, but now full facilitation is provided around the clock, allowing them to visit at any time.”
It is not clear how many tourists visited Erbil in December.
Spokesperson of the Kurdistan Region's tourism board, Ibrahim Abdulmajeed, told Rudaw on December 22 that last year’s preparations were more comprehensive than in previous years.
“We anticipate that more than 200,000 tourists will visit the Kurdistan Region because our preparations are strong,” he said.
Over the past five years, the Kurdistan Region has implemented 80 strategic tourism projects, totaling $7.5 billion in investment, including hotels, motels, and large tourist complexes.
Only in Erbil, there is extensive tourism infrastructure, consisting of 1,611 licensed facilities, including 445 hotels and motels, and 47 tourist villages, according to figures obtained by Rudaw.
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