Iraq Looks to Promote Tourism

Tuesday, July 22, 2008
AP
In reality, Iraq has been a no-go zone for most civilian aircraft for almost two decades. First, there were U.N. sanctions after Saddam Hussein's invasion of Kuwait in 1990. Then U.S.-led forces toppled the dictator in 2003, and violence engulfed the country.

Yet, now that insurgent attacks and sectarian bloodshed have ebbed over the past year, Iraq's government is beginning to promote tourism. It will be a tough sell—and even if officials can grab the attention of the adventuresome, Iraq's tourism facilities are shabby.

The opening of a new airport Sunday in the southern city of Najaf is expected to help boost the number of religious pilgrims, mostly Iranians, visiting Shiite shrines to 1 million this year, double the number that came in 2007.

Pilgrims are admittedly a special kind of visitor. "They do not consider any kind of danger or harassment. They have a religious ideology that considers any difficulty they face as a merit and mercy for their piety," said Abdul Zahra al-Talaqani, spokesman for Iraq's tourism ministry.

Iraq is thinking about more than pilgrims, though. Last week, officials displayed tourism posters and said they are intent on attracting visitors to Iraq's fabled archaeological sites.

FOXNews.com - Baghdad or Bust? Iraq Looks to Promote Tourism - International News | News of the World | Middle East News | Europe News

cool I will change my plans and head to Iraq right away.

NOT!!!

__________________
Charles_Main

"Whenever a man has cast a longing eye on offices, a rottenness begins in his conduct."
Thomas Jefferson

"Dependence begets subservience and venality, suffocates the germ of virtue, and prepares fit tools for the designs of ambition."
Thomas Jefferson

It's gonna be a long, long time before it attracts regular tourism. People should come over to Costa Rica instead, anyway. [/propaganda]


ASPOIDHSDOAISUDHOPSDI

__________________
"I will continue to be an impossible man as long as those men who are possible today remain possible." - Bakunin, letter to Ogarev.

"The ultimate aim of production is not production of goods, but the production of free human beings associated with one another on terms of equality." - John Dewey.

It's gonna be a long, long time before it attracts regular tourism. People should come over to Costa Rica instead, anyway. [/propaganda]


ASPOIDHSDOAISUDHOPSDI

__________________
"I will continue to be an impossible man as long as those men who are possible today remain possible." - Bakunin, letter to Ogarev.

"The ultimate aim of production is not production of goods, but the production of free human beings associated with one another on terms of equality." - John Dewey.

Except for the heat I would go. No AC gonna keep me away )

__________________
The fact that an opinion has been widely held is no evidence whatever that it is not utterly absurd. Indeed in view of the silliness of the majority of mankind, a widespread belief is more likely to be foolish than sensible.

-Bertrand Russell

Facts are stubborn things, but statistics are more pliable

-Laurence J. Peters

I never said that you had no right to have an opinion. I just said that it was, in fact, worth nothing.

-Maineman ( on 12 June 2007)

When VietNam was raging, the thought that some day veterans of that conflict would return there as tourists was unthinkable.

Who knows? Perhaps some day Iraq will be the same.

Personally I think despite everything we are hearing right now, and regardless of who ends up winning this election, That the US will end up maintaining bases, and a small permanent presence in Iraq for many years to come. Much like Japan and Korea. Not an occupation by any means, but a presence none the less.

__________________
Charles_Main

"Whenever a man has cast a longing eye on offices, a rottenness begins in his conduct."
Thomas Jefferson

"Dependence begets subservience and venality, suffocates the germ of virtue, and prepares fit tools for the designs of ambition."
Thomas Jefferson