Abstract

Tourism, in its contemporary conception, has transcended its simple concern with travels and entertaining activities to a kind of industry that has its social and economic dimensions. Within the frame of organizing relationships and interests among countries around the world, tourism development nowadays is one of the goals of comprehensive economic and social development, as it has the capacity of improving the balance of payment, providing chances of employment, creating sources of income, in addition to taking part in improving the style and type of social life for all members in society. In Iraq, the tourism sector has long been suffering from many problems and obstacles, the most prominent of which is the work of governmental policies, not to mention the economic blockade, the many wars which the country went through, the consequent severe damage that reached most of the touristic sites, and the country’s break with the circle of economic, political, and cultural relationships with the other countries of the world, which has its negative impact on this vital sector. Therefore, it is in an urgent need of comprehensive development owing to what it has of elements and capacities, such as the tourism sites and religious and archeological sites. If taken care of by the state and the relevant circles, especially the private sector by directing investment to it, it will occupy its salient position by saving a large part of the country’s revenues, as the tourism sector is a pioneer in bringing about ties with other branches and economic activities where frontal and back links of this sector are found. Moreover, tourism in Iraq is based on the same factors as those on which other states rely, and theses are natural and human factors which many sites have. Furthermore, religious tourism is likewise important for the country was honored by being the place where many prophets, messengers, and other sacred figures, came and settled, a feature which almost no country in the world does possess

DOI:10.52113/6/2011-1-1/1-122