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Erbil draws +89k tourists during Eid holiday
Shafaq News/ On Monday, authorities in Erbil, the capital of Kurdistan Region, hailed the Eid al-Adha holiday a success, reporting smooth security and service operations.
According to a statement issued by the Erbil governorate, a total of 89,301 tourists visited the city during the al-Adha holiday. Public parks and green spaces in Erbil received around 108,000 visitors, including 30,000 to Sami Abdulrahman Park.
The influx aligns with previous projections for the season's tourism boom, as Erbil continues to position itself as a key attraction in the region.
The statement highlighted the efforts of the Erbil Central District Administration, which detained 15 butchers for violating health regulations, closed 27 food establishments, and impounded four vehicles for transporting livestock unlawfully.
Regarding municipal services, the statement said four butcher shops were closed for violations, 22 livestock and two transport vehicles were seized, and two cases of unregulated slaughtering were prevented. A total of 1,124 tons of slaughter waste was removed during the holiday.
In the city's central livestock market, 1,461 sacrifices were conducted during the Eid period—270 large livestock and 1,191 small livestock.
Erbil Security Directorate reported that the entire security plan was executed without incident, with forces remaining on high alert throughout the holiday (from June 7 to 10). The Civil Defense Directorate also reported successful execution of its plan, containing 16 fire incidents with no human casualties, and damages limited to property.
Earlier, local authorities had anticipated a sharp rise in visitor numbers, expecting more than 300,000 tourists to arrive across the Region, thanks to improved infrastructure and favorable weather conditions compared to Iraq's southern provinces.
