Kurdistan prepares for Eid Al-Fitr tourism season

Shafaq News/ Authorities in the Kurdistan Region completed preparations to welcome tourists for Eid Al-Fitr, with expectations of large numbers arriving, particularly from central and southern Iraq.

The Spokesperson for the Al-Sulaymaniyah Tourism Directorate Koran Qader told Shafaq News that it is difficult to provide an accurate estimate of the number of expected visitors, pointing out that several factors could affect tourist numbers, including the economic situation of citizens, the coincidence of the holiday with the end of the school year, and the situation in neighboring countries. “However, we still expect a large influx of tourists to Al-Sulaymaniyah."

Mahmoud Tawfiq, head of the Al-Sulaymaniyah Restaurant and Hotel Association, explained that it had been agreed that all restaurants authorized to operate during Ramadan would remain open during the Eid holiday, with more than 120 restaurants in total, alongside the full operation of hotels to accommodate guests. He also mentioned that there would be strict monitoring of prices and service quality.

"Any facility not adhering to the specified standards will face penalties," Ibrahim Abdulhamid, spokesperson for the Kurdistan Region's Tourism Authority, stated to Shafaq News, revealing coordination between the Tourism Authority and travel companies, with over 200 tour operators organizing trips to the Region.

Regarding tourism traffic, Abdulhamid noted that "a large number of foreign tourists visited the region during the Nowruz celebrations and participated in events and festivals held for the occasion."

More than 25,000 tourists from Iraq entered Al-Sulaymaniyah through the Tasluja border crossing in last year’s Fitr holiday, according to a statement by the Directorate of Tourism.