KRI travel agencies note a drop in tourists to Turkey

Shafaq News / An official from a travel and tourism office in Dohuk reported a 60% decrease in the number of tourists coming from the Kurdistan Region to Turkey, particularly during the New Year period, attributing this decline to several factors.

According to Ifraz Bahjat, speaking to Shafaq News Agency, the decline in tourist visits to Turkey, especially during the New Year holidays, is due to the unstable dollar exchange rate, the high cost of entry visas at $180, and the increased prices of goods in Turkey.

Bahjat noted that in previous years, they used to have six holiday tours during the Christmas and New Year period, but this year, the offers have shrunk to only two tours.

These developments signify a reduced interest in Turkey as a tourist destination during this time frame, primarily because of economic changes and escalating costs.

Earlier this month, the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism announced that over 61,000 Iraqi visitors had arrived in Turkey during the past 11 months of the current year. This announcement came a day after the Turkish government exempted four Gulf countries from entry visas, a move that excluded Iraq.