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We Wouldn't Want to Work on the 'Visit Iraq' Ad Campaign

Where: Iraq
November 12, 2009 at 5:29 PM | by | Comment (1)

A Saddam Hussein-regime building along the water.

It might seem incredulous but in Iraq there is an actual working tourism board and even more unbelievable, they want you to visit. The BBC reports that the head of the Iraqi tourism board has attended the World Travel Market in London to promote the country as a new vacation destination.

"Tourism will help regenerate Iraq," says the tourist board chairman, Hammoud al-Yaqoubi. "We want to prove that Iraq still exists and maybe we can change people's minds about it."

In fact, there is one British company, Hinterland Travel, that has begun offering tours of Iraq in March and has at least five more planned through 2010. The company had to stop around 2003 because of escalating violence but today a nine-day tour in Iraq will cost you £1,600 per person.

While it may not be the easiest news to digest, there are plenty of historical sites in Iraq, which is known for being the birthplace of civilization. Even some of Saddam Hussein's old relics and gaudy palaces could make appearances on the Iraq vacation tour.

But there are more obstacles than figuring out your itinerary. Obviously, safety is the biggest concern and no one right now seems to recommend visiting Iraq at free will. Also, while war-torn countries and regions like Vietnam, Cambodia and Croatia have emerged as tourist destinations, those took a long time to happen. With the memories of soldiers who died in Iraq still so fresh in our minds, it's really hard to imagine going over there just for the fun of it.

And good luck with creating that "Visit Iraq" advertising campaign too.

Would you visit Iraq? Let us know in comments below.

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· Is Iraq the next holiday hotspot? [BBC ]

[Photo: Sentinel47]

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Only for the brave... or foolhardy?

As I have a background in archaeology and ancient history, I would dearly love to visit the ancient sites in Iraq. But nothing could persuade me to go either now or for the foreseeable future!!!
The Bewildered Brit on November 12, 2009 at 10:13 PM #Permalink

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