Tourism returns to Iraq as security stabilises

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Tourism returns to Iraq as security stabilises

2011-10-19 By Khalid al-Taie in Baghdad

Russian tourists take a boat ride through the marshes in Basra on October 12th. [Atef Hassan / Reuters]

Foreign tourists are returning to Iraq now that the security situation has improved, officials and tourism experts say.

Western tourists visit the Ziggurat of Ur ruins near Nasiriyah. [Atef Hassan / Reuters]

A Russian tourist group left Iraq Thursday (October 13th) after visiting a number of archaeological landmarks in Baghdad, Babil, Karbala, Dhi Qar, Muthanna and Basra.

The group consisted of nine tourists including three women. They spent one week in Iraq, during which they visited the Iraqi National Museum, some archaeological and heritage landmarks in Baghdad and Babil, as well as Telal al-Tar and Qusair Church in Karbala province.

The last stop of their visit included the archaeological sites of Ur, Lagash and Larsa, the Ahwar region in the city of Jabayesh in Dhi Qar province, as well as Uruk in the city of Samawa, Muthanna province.

"There are ongoing efforts to attract more tourist groups and revive the archaeological tourist sector," said Abdul Zahra al-Talaqani, spokesperson for the Iraqi State Ministry for Tourism and Antiquities.

"This sector has started to revive anew with the numbers of foreign tourists rising now that their fears about security in the country have been dispelled," he told Mawtani.com.

The Russian tourist group is the fourth group to arrive in Iraq since September.

Fadhil al-Saegh, manager of Rafadain Tourism and Travel, which organised the visit for the Russian tourists, said that the group's visit came in the wake of his company's efforts to promote tourism in Iraq through regular participation in tourist fairs in countries around the world.

"These fairs helped us present the true image of current conditions in Iraq, especially in terms of security," al-Saegh told Mawtani. "We tell representatives of participating countries that Iraq is stable in terms of security and that the conditions are not alarming."

Al-Saegh said that foreign tourists who come to Iraq express their surprise about the development and progress the country is witnessing on all levels.

"The signs of happiness and satisfaction were clear on their faces at every archaeological landmark or site they set foot on," he said. "They told us that they have always read and heard about the ancient civilisations of Iraq, but that they did not think that they would be able to see its antiquities so close."

Al-Saegh said his company soon plans to bring tourist groups from Italy, Germany and France.

Talal al-Zubaie, vice chair of the tourism and antiquities committee in the Iraqi parliament, expressed satisfaction with the increasing number of foreign tourist groups that come to visit archaeological sites in Iraq.

"It is a delightful thing to see the return of these groups after a long absence," he told Mawtani. "We hope that this return will be an incentive to pay more attention to tourism in the country."

Al-Zubaie called on the Iraqi government to pay attention to the archaeological tourism sector given its ability to attract tourists and money to Iraq.

"We should make great efforts to rehabilitate and reconstruct the archaeological sites, prepare features that attract tourists and encourage private-sector tourism companies," he said.

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READER COMMENTS

كاظم الحبشي

2011-11-13

I think that tourism in Iraq is witnessing stagnation. It is very important to support tourism in Iraq. In addition, they should develop all sectors that serve the interest of tourism in Iraq, in order to let it return to its previous position. Moreover, they should give the opportunity for travelers to visit Iraq through holding festivals and exhibitions, along with providing suitable accommodation for tourists. Of course these suggestions need efforts and money in order to make tourism continue and develop in Iraq. Moreover, it is very necessary to ensure safety and security, so that tourists won’t have any fear or doubt about the security situation in Iraq. It is known to all persons that terrorist groups have interfered in everything. They spread fear and terror among people and caused the halt of tourist activity in Iraq. They have carried out many terrorist operations, such as bombing, killing, kidnapping and suicide attacks against all people in order to distort the image of Iraq and Iraqis. For this reason, it is very necessary to bring stability again to its previous situation, so that tourism flourishes again in the country. They should work on the development and spread of tourism again in Iraq. They should also provide Iraqis and tourists with all means of comfort, so that they will be in a better situation. There shouldn’t be any kind of fear for those who visit Iraq, so that tourism will prosper again and tourists will come from the entire world, whether Arab or foreign countries.
حكيم

2011-11-12

I personally think that the tourist sector in Iraq has suffered a lot in recent years because of the terrorist operations in the country that have caused this important sector to stagnate. There is a strong link between tourism and the stability of the security situation, because tourism cannot be successful in the absence of security. However, I think that tourism in Iraq has started to recover, thanks to the amelioration of security in Iraq. Recently, terrorism has started to weaken, because the security forces have managed to dismantle terrorist cells and to give a blow to the remaining terrorists. For this reason, I think that tourism has started to regain its previous position. Many tourists want to visit Iraq, thanks to its long heritage manifested in its monuments and ruins that date back to thousands of years ago. This heritage represents a glorious side of human civilization. Thus, I think that some tourist groups have started to come to Iraq to learn about the history of this country and discover monumental and touristic places. They are considered among the most beautiful places in the world, thanks to their historic heritage. Actually, I cannot claim that tourism in Iraq has regained its previous status, but there is no doubt that the signs of tourist development in Iraq have started to appear on the horizon. These positive signs mean that tourism in Iraq will come back and be even stronger than before. Therefore, I would like to ask the officials who are in charge of tourism in Iraq to pay more attention and support this sector in order to promote tourism in Iraq and attract as many Arab and foreign tourists as possible. The security situation in Iraq has improved and made foreign tourists feel more secure. We hope that this sector will reach and meet the level of our ambitions, in order to convey a bright image of this country and advance the Iraqi economy, since tourism has impacts on the it.
عبدالرحمن

2011-11-10

Iraq is one of the most beautiful countries in the world, with its nature, rivers, fresh water and the historically genuine civilization of this country that history remembers, and whose monuments are still standing tall to this day. I believe that if Iraq had the means of attracting tourists, and if the country were further developed and tourists’ transportation corporations and other services were available, believe me, Iraq would be the top international touristic destination and would surpass all other countries in this regard. This is because it has sites other countries do not have. By providing these requirements, tourism will go back to being better that it has been in Iraq before. This is particularly true for the Kurdistan region, because of the great attention given to the tourism sector there and because of this region’s nature and the conditions that are provided for serving the touristic sector. These conditions include security stability, reconstruction and real attention to this aspect. However, this issue is still suspended in the remaining parts of Iraq and its governorates, and it has not developed. The reason is the great deterioration in tourism. Tourism might be one of the sectors that were most affected and destroyed by the tension in Iraq, especially in the south and the central part, because of the conditions the country has gone through, including terrorism and bombings. These events reflected the terrifying reputation of Iraq, which has been the reason behind tourists’ refraining from coming to Iraq, because they think they will die if they do so, and because they think they would be unable to go out, and because they do not have enough services, and because of the lack of confidence in the existing corporations. As such, work must be done to convey the idea that the security situation is now different, which is true. Also, work must be done to establish entities that care for tourists and provide them with services and transport them from one place to the other, in addition to providing them with comfortable accommodation, in addition to developing and restoring touristic sites and the country’s streets and markets. Tourist campaigns should be promoted in Iraq. This would be a starting point, for Iraq to go back to what it has been before, as one of the countries that attract tourists the most in the Arab world. However, there is no change now, and there will not be any changes anytime soon, if conditions continue like this, as tourism will then remain suspended for a long time, and it would require a lot of work and efforts to develop it again.
مفيد غالب

2011-11-9

Unfortunately, tourism has stopped in Iraq, and there are no developments in this regard there. Here is Al Habbaniya city; it is the best proof of the garbage and dirt and the other bad things. We do not want Iraq to move backwards; we want it to be on top and we want all things to be better than before, and we want the Iraqi government to cooperate with Iraqis to make Iraq the best, because tourism brings in a lot of money and a lot of good relations with tourists, in addition to adding a new touch to Iraqis, so that they can be proud of their country’s beauty and the wonderful tourism in it. Safety and security are more important than everything and tourism requires safety and security so that tourists could feel safe and would come one time after the other without fearing Iraq. I call on the Iraqi government to introduce corporations operating in Iraq to do reconstruction and building and to finish the important touristic sites, such as the touristic island in Baghdad and other important things, including monuments and the falls in Al Mosul, Al Habaneya, Al Razaza, Al Sodoor and other sites that require restoration. We hope there will be development in Iraq so that they would take a thousand steps forward, instead of going thousands of steps backwards. The other Arab countries are not less than we are, regarding developments and urban civilization.