Erbil Travel: a concern for travelers

Erbil Citadel can be referred to as the pride of the Kurdish region of Iraq. It is located in the capital city, at the center of Erbil Town in Kurdish Region of Iraq. The importance of the town is merely increased by the placement of the mound called as the Erbil Citadel at a height of about 25 to 32 meters situated right in the middle of the city. It gives a breathtaking view of the city and provides it a vibe of exclusivity like no other place and henceforth, making it a beautiful destination for tourists. To add to the exclusivity the Erbil Travel, the Citadel is Pandora of history in Iraq and has a many civilizations attached to it. At a time it was the hub of Christianity. Later on as the time progressed and conquests took place, the official religious orientation of Erbil changed to Islam. Presently it is the center of the Kurds of Iraq and is their capital city.

The structure of Erbil Citadel is circular in shape and it is home to a lot of archaeologists who come there in their attempts to patch the past with the present and decipher the hidden truths in the historic buildings and alleys of Erbil. It has been a site of fascination for many and as propelled tourists from world wide. World Mound Foundation located  in New York and working zealously towards preservation of historical sites as well as geographical sites of great importance has declared Erbil Citadel as a site of great historical value and significance. The people of Erbil and the administration of Kurdistan Region of Iraq are working tirelessly to make Erbil Citadel be included by UNESCO as one of the heritage sites.

Travelling in Erbil needs just a little bit of research into the area of the traveler. Almost all the main airlines fly to Erbil. These contain Lufthansa, Austrian, Qatar Airways, Egypt airways,  Turkish Airways, Etihad airways etc. Good news for Erbil Travel is that this region of Iraq is comparatively safer than the rest of the country hence; international travelers can feel secure.  One can also travel through bus. Presently there are two bus services that connect Erbil to Turkey. It is upon the traveler as to what is more suitable to him/her. Citizens of the EU, Australia, Canada  and US can get an on arrival visa for ten days. After which they must visit their respective offices for an extension.

The 20th Century saw a modern structure of Erbil Citadel as Kurdish were in the majority and installed infrastructure in the area for utility of its inhabitants. It is now like any modern city with its own industry and infrastructure as the foundation.  In 2004, Kurdish Textile Industry opened its door to the people of Erbil Citadel and provided them the opportunity for employment.

An Emerging Market with Great Opportunities for Everyone

For the last 10 years, jobs in Kurdistan have been on the rise due to the economic growth of the region. Most job vacancies can be found in the construction, hospitality, and the communication and transport sectors. The fast economic growth of the autonomous Kurdistan region is the result of foreign investments and the high security levels of the place.

 

For decades, wars and a cruel dictatorship left most of the Kurdistan region in ruins. People fled the country in order to escape violence, starvation and death, and sought refuge in the nearby Middle Eastern countries, in Turkey, or in Europe. For those who were not able to leave the Kurdish mountains provided a refuge, while agriculture and animal farming provided the only jobs in Kurdistan at that time.

What has been happening in Kurdistan over the last decade is exactly the opposite. After the fall of the Saddam Hussein dictatorship, Kurdistan regained its autonomous state and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) used the region’s natural resources in oil and gas as the main source of income to fund the reconstruction of villages and towns and give hope and perspective to those people who had not left the country. Today more than 65% of the destroyed villages and towns have been rebuilt and construction is the sector that offers the most jobs in Kurdistan.  Thousands of refugees have repatriated to reunite with their families and earn a decent living in their own country.


                            

Attracting Investments

The next step of the autonomous government was to establish the Kurdish Board of Investment in 2006, in order to attract Arab and international investments. The same year, a liberal investment law was ratified to offer a large number of privileges and incentives to foreign investors. As a result, sectors such as construction, housing, communication and transport, trade and industry, banking, tourism, education, health, and agriculture started flourishing and attracting the young people not only from Kurdistan, but also from the rest of Iraq to work in a steady and secure environment. While in several countries unemployment is on the rise, jobs in Kurdistan are plentiful.

Attracting Expatriates

Investors soon brought with them, highly-skilled corporate professionals, executives and consultants who took permanent residence with their families in the many newly-constructed gated villages all around the big cities of the three governorates of Kurdistan: Erbil, Duhok, and Sulaymaniyah. As they say, wealth attracts wealth, so the major Kurdistan cities became richer with the building of large shopping malls, five-star hotels, restaurants and cafés, schools and colleges, amusement parks and enormous exhibition centers.  Today, after 10 years since development started in this part of northern Iraq, a large number of  job in Erbil are still available to locals and foreign alike.

Improving Transportation

A contributing factor to the economic development of the Kurdistan region is the building of two international airports, one in Erbil and the other in Sulaymaniyah. Air travel has made the transportation of people and cargo a lot easier and contributes to the development of tourism that can become a catalyst to the further economic development of the region and another source of income for its residents.

Preserving Peace and Stability

This is the number one factor for economic growth, social peace and cohesion, and happy living. Despite the fact that southern Iraq is still plagued with violence and turbulence, the Kurdish Peshmerga army is determined to prevent any form of violence and keep Kurdistan a safe place to live and work.

Erbil Travel Guide : Where the New Meets the Old

After the 2003 fall of the Saddam Hussein regime, the Kurdistan region in northern Iraq has enjoyed freedom, security and significant economic growth. According to the new 2005 Iraqi Constitution, Kurdistan stands as a fully autonomous federal entity, which facilitates the exploitation of the region’s gas and oil reserves, foreign investments in the construction and hospitality sectors, as well as the Erbil travel business and the significant increase of the tourism sector in the picturesque region of Iraqi Kurdistan.

  
Erbil Citadel

Being one of the oldest, continuously inhabited settlements in the world, the Erbil Citadel is probably the most popular attraction for travelers in the Kurdistan region. The Citadel was built on an artificial mound more than 6000 years ago and today it is under massive restoration with the help of the UNESCO. Your Erbil travel in the old part of the city won’t be complete without visiting the Kurdish Textile Museum inside the Citadel, the old Qaysari Bazaar just opposite the Citadel, where you will be amazed at the variety and the prices of the goods on offer and at how friendly and warm the merchants are.  If you feel hungry, stop at Kebab Yasin for an unforgettable culinary experience and then go for a glass of traditional tea in the most famous tea shop in town: Maam Khalil’s chay Khana.

Modern Erbil

After your visit to the ancient part of the city, your Erbil travel experience cannot be complete without visiting the modern part of town where you can go shopping to one of the several shopping malls. Go to Majidi Mall, the Family Mall, or the Royal Mall where you will be able to buy the most popular international brands in clothes, shoes, accessories and jewelry. If you like dining in style, Erbil offers the best international and Arab restaurants in the Kurdistan regions. For a delicious meal combined with a fantastic view of the city, you can visit Kahve Keyfi on the top floor of Majidi Mall, the Qi21 sushi and grill bar on the 21st floor of Divan Hotel, or the Mamounia Sky Bar on the 7th floor of the Noble Hotel in Ankawa. If you like long walks in magnificent gardens, the Sami Abdul Rahman Park will offer you all the relaxation you may need from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Erbil Countryside

If you are in Erbil during the hot summer months, a visit to the picturesque town of Shaqlawa, about 50 kilometers from Erbil, will be the coolest place to be on your trip. The town is built at the foot of the Safeen Mountain and it offers excellent accommodation and dining facilities. The locals pay often visits to Shaqlawa in the summer, especially to spend a cool weekend away from the hot city, and to buy fresh fruit and vegetables from the town’s renowned food market. You can finish your Erbil travel itinerary by visiting the spectacular Gali Ali Beg and Bekhal waterfalls and have lunch or a refreshing drink at the outdoor cafés and restaurants of this beautiful place.

The best Erbil travel experience combines a visit to the ancient Citadel in the center of the town, a visit to the Qaysari Bazzar and the traditional eateries of the center with a long walk around the modern part of the city with the luxurious 5-star hotels and the huge shopping malls. For those who adore the countryside, the small town of Shaqlawa is the most attractive destination for the summer months.