Government advisor: Tourism investment is a gateway to stimulating the private sector and diversifying national income.
The Prime Minister’s financial advisor, Mazhar Muhammad Saleh, confirmed on Friday that Iraq has more than 12,000 archaeological sites that form the basis for a comprehensive tourism launch, explaining that tourism investment is a gateway to stimulating the private sector and diversifying national income.
Saleh told the Iraqi News Agency (INA): “Tourism in Iraq is more than just a recreational activity; it is a strategic tool for wealth creation, achieving balanced development, and diversifying national income sources, provided that investment in it is done seriously and with a clear institutional approach.”
He explained that “this sector has the potential to become a major economic pillar, capable of restoring Iraq to its natural civilizational position and contributing to building a more stable and sustainable economic future.”
He added that “tourism in Iraq represents a strategic economic lever capable of reducing the single dependence on oil, opening up broad prospects for diversifying national income, creating direct and indirect job opportunities, revitalizing the service and commercial sectors, as well as providing the economy with important revenues from foreign currency.”
He pointed out that "tourism leads to an increase in demand for local products and services, especially handicrafts, food products, and national cuisine, which strengthens local value chains. At the employment level, it is estimated that a single tourism event in the hotel accommodation sector alone is capable of generating more than 25 job opportunities at once, which highlights the multiplier effect of this sector on the labor market."
He pointed out that "tourism investment contributes to stimulating private sector trends by supporting the growth of small and medium enterprises, such as transport companies, restaurants and shops, and it also has a positive impact on the macroeconomy through the development of infrastructure by investing in roads, airports, hotels and public facilities, which enhances the investment attractiveness of the country as a whole."
Saleh emphasized that “Iraq has more than 12,000 archaeological sites stretching from Babylon, Ur and Nineveh to Baghdad and Samarra, as well as holy religious shrines. These are unique cultural treasures, some of which have been included in UNESCO’s World Heritage List, and they form a solid foundation for a comprehensive tourism initiative with economic, cultural and civilizational dimensions. link
