ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – Erbil Governor Omed Khoshnaw on Sunday said that the Kurdish capital has welcomed over 47,000 tourists in the last two days amid a surge in tourism for the festive season and New Year's celebrations.

"Until today, that is in two days, even though there are still a few days left for New Year's, over 47,000 tourists have visited Erbil," the governor told The New Region, adding that comfort and logistics preparations have been completed to ensure that the visitors have an enjoyable stay over the holidays.

Khoshnaw reassured tourists traveling from central and southern Iraq that further efforts will be put in expediting their affairs and procedures in a civil way, on top of other preparations that have been made to welcome visitors.

Erbil is readying to host a multitude of visitors from central and southern Iraqi provinces. The city's streets have already been adorned with festive lights, with the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) expecting some 200,000 tourists throughout the holiday season.

Erbil's tourism department earlier in December ruled out official city-sanctioned celebrations, calling on the private sector to have as many activities as possible to attract the largest number of tourists to the Kurdistan Region’s capital city, an official told The New Region previously.

As part of preparations to welcome the New Year, a food festival will be held at the downtown Shar, or City Park, adjacent to the Citadel, a popular spot in the capital city. During the festival, more than 30 various Kurdish dishes are going to be presented to visitors, as well as female handicrafts. 

The Kurdistan Region’s tourism industry has become a booming sector in recent years. The beautiful nature and moderate temperatures during the summertime and cozy, snow-capped wintery retreats during the colder seasons have become major attractions for tourists from all over Iraq.

Around 200,000 tourists visited the Kurdistan Region's provinces in the 2023 New Year celebrations.

The KRG aims to attract 20 million tourists per year by 2030, with roughly 8 million tourists visiting the Kurdistan Region annually as of now.