Iraq has intensified its efforts to revive rural tourism by officially nominating several villages in the Kurdistan Region and across the country to compete in the global “Best Tourism Villages” ranking, aiming to highlight Iraq’s environmental and tourism potential on the international stage.

Kurdistan Villages Enter International Competition

The Iraqi State Board of Tourism officially announced the nomination of several villages from the Kurdistan Region and wider Iraq for participation in the global “Best Tourism Villages” competition.

According to the board, Iraq possesses extensive opportunities in both ecotourism and rural tourism, and this initiative opens a new horizon for developing the sector and diversifying tourism products across the country.

The competition is viewed as an opportunity to present Iraq’s natural and cultural landscapes to international audiences while encouraging investment in rural destinations.

Selection Process Based on 70 International Standards

Ali Yasin Abdul-Raza, spokesperson for the State Board of Tourism, stated that the relevant authorities spent an entire year evaluating numerous villages before finalizing the nominations.

He explained that the assessments were conducted according to 70 international criteria established by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), which are used to identify and select the most qualified villages for inclusion among the world’s top 100 tourism villages.

The evaluation process focused on ensuring that the selected villages align with international tourism standards and demonstrate the ability to support sustainable tourism development.

Geography of the Nominated Villages and Objectives of the Initiative

The nominated Iraqi villages are distributed across Halabja, Duhok, Erbil, and Mosul, in addition to Abu Subat Village in Dhi Qar Governorate.

According to the State Board of Tourism, the main objective behind the initiative is to encourage local communities and village landowners to place greater emphasis on ecotourism and rural tourism development.

The board emphasized that tourism cannot become sustainable without the active participation of local residents and communities.

For this reason, efforts are being directed toward investing in Iraq’s geographical diversity, stretching from the deserts and marshlands in the south to the mountainous landscapes of the Kurdistan Region in the north, to strengthen tourism opportunities and create long-term development across rural areas.