Kurdistan's Erbil to receive 60,000+ tourists during Eid al-Fitr
Shafaq News/ The Kurdistan Region expects over 60,000 tourists to visit its capital, Erbil, during the Eid al-Fitr holiday, the Tourism Directorate announced on Saturday.
The previous holiday saw a similar number of visitors, but this year's figure could be higher due to the week-long public holiday (from March 29 to April 5) in both Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, as well as the overlap of Nowruz, the directorate affirmed.
Earlier, the Spokesperson for the Al-Sulaymaniyah Tourism Directorate, Koran Qader, told Shafaq News that the province expects a large influx of tourists.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Shafaq News
13 hours ago
- Shafaq News
Iraq confirms halted flights to Syria amid high visa fees
Shafaq News/ Iraq's Ministry of Transport confirmed, on Tuesday, that civil aviation flights between Iraq and Syria remain suspended, a situation in place since the fall of the former Syrian regime. Ministry spokesperson Maytham al-Safi told Shafaq News that 'civil flights have been halted for years, and no regular services operate between the two countries. Only Cham Wings Airlines operated for a while, but those flights have also stopped.' The statement comes amid rising concerns over the recently increased visa fees imposed on Iraqi citizens traveling to Syria, which now stand at $250. Omar Abdul-Baqi, deputy director of security at Damascus International Airport, told Shafaq News that the higher fees apply not only to Iraqis but to other nationalities as well, as part of a broader Syrian policy to regulate entry and cover administrative costs.
Shafaq News
17 hours ago
- Shafaq News
Syria adjusts Visa fees for visitors
Shafaq News/ Syria's Ministry of Interior announced on Tuesday updated visa fees for foreign visitors. The new system categorizes countries by nationality, with fees reflecting diplomatic and bilateral relations. According to the ministry's statement, citizens of Lebanon, Jordan, Mauritania, and Malaysia are exempt from visa fees and allowed to stay in Syria for up to six months. Visa fees for visitors from Morocco, Algeria, Sudan, and Yemen are set at $40, while those for Libyan nationals are $75. Travelers from Bahrain and Somalia will pay $125, and those from Egypt, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Turkiye will be charged $150. Fees for Iraq and the United Arab Emirates are $250. Chinese and Russian citizens will pay $40 and $75, respectively. American nationals will pay $300, while British and Canadian visitors face fees of $250 and $150. Fees for Australian and New Zealand visitors are $250. Citizens of European Union countries will pay $125. Visitors from unclassified countries will pay $100 for a 15-day visa or $25 for a three-day transit visa. The ministry stated that most visas are valid for three months with a single entry, though some nationalities will have multiple entry options during the same period. Fees must be paid in US dollars at arrival points or through the electronic visa system. Travelers are advised to check specific visa requirements for their nationality before travel. Arab media outlets reported that Syrian authorities have started procedures to revoke citizenship from around 700,000 Iranians, Iraqis, and Lebanese, in addition to thousands of Afghan and Pakistani fighters who were granted citizenship during the rule of Bashar al-Assad.
Iraqi News
a day ago
- Iraqi News
Mosul International Airport about to be inaugurated
Baghdad ( – The Iraqi Ministry of Transport revealed on Thursday that Mosul International Airport is now fully operational and open to any airlines with the appropriate licenses, following a successful trial run earlier in the day. The test flight involved the landing of an Iraqi Airways Boeing 737 on the freshly rebuilt runway, a significant achievement ahead of the airport's formal opening on June 10. The spokesperson for the Iraqi Ministry of Transport, Maitham Al-Safi, told the state-run news agency (INA) that the reopening of the airport represents a purely Iraqi accomplishment carried out under the direct supervision of the Ministry of Transport. Al-Safi stated that Iraqi Airways would be the first airline to operate flights to and from Mosul and that the ministry is willing to collaborate with other international airlines in compliance with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and Iraqi government laws. The Iraqi official stressed the strategic importance of Mosul International Airport to Nineveh province, Iraq's second most populated province. He characterized the initiative as a major improvement in linking Mosul with the rest of Iraq and the world. During his last visit to Mosul last December to check the progress made in the airport's construction, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani ordered local authorities to open the airport on June 10 to convey a statement of resistance against terrorism. Al-Sudani is expected to fly from Baghdad to Mosul International Airport to commemorate the airport's inauguration. Mosul International Airport, which was previously destroyed by ISIS terrorists, is the third most important airport in Iraq, following Baghdad International Airport and Basra International Airport. The date set by the Iraqi Prime Minister to open Mosul International Airport coincides with the date Mosul was occupied by ISIS groups.
