Iraqi Minister of Culture and Tourism Ahmed Fakak Al-Badrani said that more than 400,000 European tourists have visited Iraq since the beginning of the year, stressing the urgency of implementing measures to bolster tourism and attract more tourists.

Al-Badrani told Sabah newspaper on Sunday that the statistics do not include tourists from neighboring countries such as Iran, Syria, and Lebanon.

He added that the Iraqi government is actively progressing towards enhancing tourism by establishing essential facilities to bolster the sector and facilitating diplomatic dialogue with countries that restrict their citizens from visiting Iraq.

According to statistics, over four million foreign pilgrims visit Iraq's holy sites annually, while thousands of tourists from Asia journey to Iraq to explore the country's archaeological sites, totaling approximately 15,000 areas.