One of the most dangerous places in the world emerges as new holiday hotspot
IRAQ has become a new holiday hotspot for tourists looking to get off the beaten track and explore the country's rich history.
The war-torn country has seen a huge surge in bookings, which more than tripled in 2021 compared to 2020.
An organised travel group recently visited the blue-brick Ishtar Gate that was rebuilt at the ancient site of Babylon under dictator Saddam Hussein.
Californian Ileana Ovalle, 50, said: "Iraq was in my top three countries, this is where civilisation started. I think too few people understand how important this region is."
Most western governments still issue travel warnings for all or parts of Iraq, pointing to risks from kidnappings to jihadist bombings and unexploded ordnance from multiple wars.
But for some explorers who are unafraid of the odd military roadblock, Iraq is a hot new destination with multiple World Heritage sites that is slowly reopening to the world.
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Last year, Iraq attracted 107,000 tourists including from Britain, France, the US, Turkey and Norway. That was over three times more than the 30,000 in 2020, according to Tourism Authority data.
Ileana, along with 14 other tourists, said she was happy to take part in a trip organised by a travel agency which offers cultural, sports and adventure trips.
She said: "The first thing that I noticed is the warmth, the generosity and the kindness of the Iraqi people. They smile, they welcome you, they are very polite."
New Yorker Justin Gonzales, 35, said: "I think everyone has hesitations, especially coming from the United States."
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"If you go on our government website, they have a travel advisory saying: 'Do not travel to Iraq, it's dangerous, you can get kidnapped, there is often violence.'
"But I haven't seen any of that, and I don't think I will."
The tourist mini-boom has gained momentum since Iraq started granting visas on arrival for dozens of nationalities a year ago.
Apart from tourists, hundreds of thousands of religious pilgrims - especially Shiite Muslims, mostly from Iran - flock each year to the shrine cities of Karbala and Najaf, south of Baghdad.
Elsewhere in Iraq, however, the owner of the Bil Weekend agency, Ali al-Makhzoumi, warned: "We need infrastructure, private investment to have hotels, buses."
'I haven't seen any violence here'
But there has been progress.
Baghdad's National Museum reopened earlier in March after three years of closure, and the city's famed booksellers' street Al-Mutanabi was given a facelift in December.
Ur, the birthplace of Abraham, is attracting more Westerners following a much-publicised Iraq visit by Pope Francis in 2021.
But industry trailblazers want to see more done - among them Aya Salih, who runs the Safraty travel agency with her husband.
She said the government "has authorised visas on arrival, but everything else is still complicated".
"Half of the trip is wasted at roadblocks even though we have the necessary permits."
Some visitors love the more edgy, authentic travel experience.
Emma Witters, 54, who has over 70,000 subscribers on her YouTube channel, said: "I like to go to places that are not so touristy yet."
Contemplating the amount of war and isolation in the country, she added: "You would think that they would be unhappy, miserable people. But they are so happy to see people and foreigners, they are so generous."
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