ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – Authorities in Baghdad on Tuesday announced a seven-point plan to revive tourism in the Iraqi capital, state media reported, including the development of roads, green spaces, and residential areas. 

“Baghdad’s selection as the Arab Tourism capital is the result of extensive measures taken according to a continuous structural vision to improve the tourism and aesthetic landscape” of the city,” Uday al-Jundail, spokesperson for Baghdad’s municipality, told state media. 

In late 2024, Baghdad was named the Arab Tourism Capital. Since then, authorities have repeatedly said they are intensifying efforts to promote tourism in the city. 

“The capital has become a major attraction for tourists from both inside and outside Iraq,” Jundail said.

The comprehensive plan to further revitalize and develop the capital includes the rehabilitation of key infrastructure, such as the airport road, green spaces, and the famed Baghdad Museum. 

“The municipality has focused primarily on developing the historical center of Baghdad, starting from al-Mutanabbi Street and extending to the Saray area, and has completed the first phase of Rashid Street, making these areas major tourist destinations,” the spokesperson explained. 

After Baghdad was named as the Arab Tourism Capital for 2025, the Iraqi government unveiled 21 tourism project planned for Baghdad and other provinces. 

Iraq’s tourism sector has suffered massive losses due to wars dating back decades, including the Iran-Iraq war, the 1991 Gulf War, and the US invasion in 2003. Sectarianism and turmoil, coupled with the rise of the Islamic State (ISIS) in 2014, further crippled tourism.