Travel And Tourism in Iraq
Euromonitor International's Travel And Tourism in Iraq report offers a comprehensive guide to the market at a national level. It looks at travel accommodation, transportation, car rental, tourist attractions and retail travel. It identifies the leading companies and offers strategic analysis of key factors influencing the market, including background information on disposable income, annual leave and holiday taking habits.
Buy online to access strategic market analysis and an interactive statistical database of market size data for travel accommodation, transportation, car rental, travel retail, tourism attractions and health and wellness tourism, tourism inflows and outflows, tourism spending and company and brand shares.
Tables: 46 | Publication date: Jun 2009
Why buy this report
- Get insight into trends in market performance
- Pinpoint growth sectors and identify factors driving change
- Identify market and brand leaders and understand the competitive environment
Product coverage
Car rental; Demand factors; Health & wellness tourism; Tourism flows domestic; Tourism flows inbound; Tourism flows outbound; Tourism receipts and expenditure; Tourist attractions; Transportation; Travel accommodation; Travel retail
Executive summary
Eyes on Kurdistan
While the rest of Iraq has suffered years of war and violence, one region is clearly emerging as a safe haven and an attractive destination for foreign investment, and for growth in tourism. The Kurdistan area of Iraq has been spared most of the repercussions of the war, and has recently embarked on a variety of development plans, in addition to organising tourism related trade fairs and renovating its airports in order to attract a larger number of business and leisure tourists. Kurdistan has its own Ministry of Tourism, which undertakes activities aiming at promoting the region as a tourist destination. Many new projects are under development, among which the Rotana five star hotel, set to open in Erbil, is one major milestone driving the region’s transformation into a tourist destination.
The Religious Tourism “Generator”
Another driver of tourism figures, and very much the sole “secret weapon” that kept Iraq’s tourism sector from disappearing completely after several wars and the latest bloodshed, which has been going on for six years, is the country’s variety of religious landmarks, which include Sunni, Shia, Christian and Jewish landmarks, all rich with history and heritage. Iraq’s Shiite shrines have been most popular among Iranians who can now travel freely to and from Iraq and who made up almost the totality of international tourist arrivals to Iraq in 2007. There is more potential to boost religious tourism to Iraq further, but the supporting infrastructure is very much lacking and the country will need to get back on its feet first.
A Deteriorating Hotel Sector
The war has had a strongly negative impact on Iraq’s travel accommodation sector, in particular the hotel sector, which saw its quality standards deteriorate, mainly because of poor infrastructure, and shortages of electricity, water, heating and air conditioning, which rendered the sector largely incapable of meeting customer expectations. However, despite the crisis, new developments are taking place, not only in Kurdistan but even in Baghdad, as developers hope to tap into the growing number of business visitors who have a very limited choice of accommodation outlets to stay in.
Slow Recovery of Air Transportation
The air transportation sector also came to halt during the six year long war in Iraq, but is starting slowly to recover, with the Kurdistan area having seen the establishment and renovation of two airports. Erbil International Airport is undergoing major renovation works to increase its capacity and cater to more international airlines, which have resumed their flights to Iraq. The future should see an increasing number of European airlines coming back to Iraq, some after more than 17 years out of the market. Additionally, Iraq Airways is also undergoing a major overhaul and has ordered some 39 aircraft to start serving more destinations and increase its flight frequency. The main challenge for Iraq remains the availability of qualified air controllers to allow the country to regain full control of its airspace, and a smooth handover from the US Army.
Driving in Iraq?
The car rental sector has managed to survive the upheavals of recent years. The conditions on the streets of Iraq have certainly kept it from growing strongly, but there are still a few operators in the market, especially in the Kurdistan area, where driving on the streets is safer. This sector could start growing, with the increasing number of business travellers who are coming to Iraq for a few days, and also based on initiatives such as the Iraq Development Plan, which has, for example, brought Hertz to Iraq, in partnership with Jordan-based Shakshir Rent a Car to serve international businesspeople coming to Iraq.
Table of contents
TRAVEL AND TOURISM IN IRAQ : MARKET INSIGHT
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Eyes on Kurdistan
The Religious Tourism “Generator”
A Deteriorating Hotel Sector
Slow Recovery of Air Transportation
Driving in Iraq?
KEY TRENDS AND DEVELOPMENTS
A Difficult Road Ahead
Kurdistan Leading the Way
Religious Tourism
MARKET INDICATORS
Table 1 Length of Domestic Trip: 2002-2007
Table 2 Length of Outbound Departure: 2002-2007
MARKET DATA
Table 3 Arrivals by Country of Origin: 2002-2007
Table 4 Arrivals by Method of Transport: 2002-2007
Table 5 Arrivals by Purpose of Visit: 2002-2007
Table 6 Incoming Tourist Receipts: Value 2002-2007
Table 7 Forecast Arrivals by Country of Origin: 2007-2012
Table 8 Forecast Arrivals by Method of Transport: 2007-2012
Table 9 Forecast Arrivals by Purpose of Visit: 2007-2012
Table 10 Forecast Incoming Tourist Receipts: Value 2007-2012
Table 11 Departures by Destination: 2002-2007
Table 12 Departures by Method of Transport: 2002-2007
Table 13 Departures by Purpose of Visit: 2002-2007
Table 14 Outgoing Tourist Expenditure: Value 2002-2007
Table 15 Forecast Departures by Destination: 2007-2012
Table 16 Forecast Departures by Method of Transport: 2007-2012
Table 17 Forecast Departures by Purpose of Visit: 2007-2012
Table 18 Forecast Outgoing Tourist Expenditure: Value 2007-2012
Table 19 Domestic Trips by Purpose of Visit and by Method of Transport: 2002-2007
Table 20 Domestic Tourist Expenditure: Value: 2002-2007
Table 21 Forecast Domestic Trips by Purpose of Visit and by Method of Transport: 2007-2012
Table 22 Forecast Domestic Tourist Expenditure: Value: 2007-2012
Table 23 Tourist Attractions: Value 2002-2007
Table 24 Forecast Tourist Attractions: Value 2007-2012
Table 25 Health and Wellness Tourism Sales: Value 2002-2007
Table 26 Forecast Health and Wellness Sales: Value 2007-2012
Table 27 Balance of Tourism Payments: Value 2002-2007
DEFINITIONS
Tourism Parameters
Travel accommodation
Transportation
Car rental
Travel retail
Internet sales
TRAVEL ACCOMMODATION
Headlines
Trends
Prospects
Sector Data
Table 28 Travel Accommodation Sales by Sector: Value 2002-2007
Table 29 Travel Accommodation Outlets by Sector: Units 2002-2007
Table 30 Regional Hotel Parameters 2007
Table 31 Travel Accommodation by Sector: Number of Rooms 2005-2007
Table 32 Travel Accommodation by Sector: Number of Beds 2005-2007
Table 33 Hotel Company Rankings 2005-2007
Table 34 Forecast Travel Accommodation Sales by Sector: Value 2007-2012
Table 35 Forecast Travel Accommodation Outlets by Sector: Units 2007-2012
TRANSPORTATION
Headlines
Trends
Prospects
Sector Data
Table 36 Transportation Sales by Sector: Value 2002-2007
Table 37 Airline Company Rankings 2005-2007
Table 38 Forecast Transportation Sales by Sector: Value 2007-2012
CAR RENTAL
Headlines
Trends
Prospects
Sector Data
Table 39 Car Rental Sales: Value 2002-2007
Table 40 Car Rental Company Rankings 2005-2007
Table 41 Forecast Car Rental Sales: Value 2007-2012
TRAVEL RETAIL
Headlines
Trends
Prospects
Sector Data
Table 42 Travel Retail Outlets: Units 2002-2007
Table 43 Travel Retail Products Sales: Value 2002-2007
Table 44 Travel Retail Products Company Rankings 2005-2007
Table 45 Forecast Travel Retail Outlets: Units 2007-2012
Table 46 Forecast Travel Retail Products Sales: Value 2007-2012