Prime Minister’s Advisor: Iraq is well-positioned to become a cultural and religious tourism destination in the Middle East.
Prime Minister’s Advisor: Iraq is well-positioned to become a cultural and religious tourism destination in the Middle East.
2025-08-13
The Prime Minister’s Financial Advisor, Mazhar Mohammed Salih, confirmed on Wednesday that Iraq possesses the necessary components to become one of the most prominent cultural and religious tourism destinations in the Middle East. Salih told the official agency that, “Despite Iraq’s unique cultural and tourism heritage, including religious, cultural, and environmental tourism, the contribution of tourism to the gross domestic product does not exceed 0.5%, compared to countries such as Spain, where the percentage is close to 13%. This disparity indicates a policy and investment gap that can be bridged through well-thought-out structural reforms.”
He added, “Iraq has unique tourism pillars globally, including religious, archaeological, and global tourism, all of which are interconnected. Tourism activity alone contributes to generating value-added chains simultaneously. This requires a strong investment policy that increases the number of workers in the tourism sector from the current 100,000 to 500,000 or more.”
He also pointed out that “this important issue can be activated once investment in this sector is reorganized, whether directly or indirectly, which requires raising tourism’s contribution to the GDP from the current 0.5% to 5% over the five-year plan.”
He also explained that “cultural and religious tourism can enhance Iraq’s international image in a more attractive way through investment and tourism promotion, and, most importantly, diversifying sources of national income and reducing dependence on oil.”
He also stressed that “it requires the launch of a highly specialized national tourism strategy, in partnership with the private sector and international tourism organizations, for the years 2025-2035, in accordance with the vision of the Prime Minister’s government program and his recent confirmations in this regard, without neglecting to amend laws to encourage private tourism investment.”
He continued, “With long-term tax exemptions as stipulated in the current investment law, and the allocation of tourism development funding funds directed at small and medium enterprises, as well as the establishment of free tourism zones with extensive customs and investment facilities linked to tourism development programs with the world, which include, for example, the launch of the Mesopotamian Civilizations Trail (Ur, Babylon and Nineveh) with a global tourism delegation system in an integrated tourism product with the world, as well as the marshes and religious and cultural tourism.”
He concluded by saying, “Iraq has the necessary capabilities to become one of the most prominent cultural and religious tourism destinations in the Middle East, but this requires the implementation of a clear policy and strategic investment in infrastructure and laws.”
He also pointed out that “transforming the tourism sector into a true engine of development requires immediate practical steps, starting with policies and ending with immediate implementation on the ground.”
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