ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Restaurant activity in the Kurdistan Region has dropped by around 35 percent, a local official said on Sunday, as the fallout from the ongoing conflict in the region continues to weigh on tourism and consumer demand.
Shukr Aziz, deputy head of the Erbil branch of the Kurdistan Association of Hotels and Restaurants, told Rudaw that the downturn is affecting the sector broadly, particularly restaurants holding tourism licenses. Despite the decline in business, he stressed that no restaurants have shut down and menu prices have not been increased.
Mahmoud Tawfiq, head of the association’s Sulaimani branch, said no restaurants or tourist venues have ceased operations due to rising gas prices, and confirmed that price levels have remained unchanged.
“We are working on several solutions to ensure gas distributors supply restaurants directly,” Tawfiq said. “It is not acceptable for a restaurant to pay more than 25,000 dinars for a gas cylinder while keeping prices stable.”
Gas shortages have emerged as a key pressure point for businesses and households alike. Officials say reduced gas production in the Kurdistan Region—linked to the ongoing US-Israeli war against Iran—has driven the price of a cylinder up to as much as 35,000 dinars. Residents in several areas have reported long queues to secure supplies.
Shukr Aziz, deputy head of the Erbil branch of the Kurdistan Association of Hotels and Restaurants, told Rudaw that the downturn is affecting the sector broadly, particularly restaurants holding tourism licenses. Despite the decline in business, he stressed that no restaurants have shut down and menu prices have not been increased.
Mahmoud Tawfiq, head of the association’s Sulaimani branch, said no restaurants or tourist venues have ceased operations due to rising gas prices, and confirmed that price levels have remained unchanged.
“We are working on several solutions to ensure gas distributors supply restaurants directly,” Tawfiq said. “It is not acceptable for a restaurant to pay more than 25,000 dinars for a gas cylinder while keeping prices stable.”
Gas shortages have emerged as a key pressure point for businesses and households alike. Officials say reduced gas production in the Kurdistan Region—linked to the ongoing US-Israeli war against Iran—has driven the price of a cylinder up to as much as 35,000 dinars. Residents in several areas have reported long queues to secure supplies.
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