From an ABC News article: These days, says board chairman Hamoud Al-Yakobi, tourism is a matter of faith. Literally. "We depend on religious tourism," Al-Yakobi says. "There is no other tourism business here." Published reports say the Pentagon is backing a five-year, $5 billion plan to build luxury hotels and shopping malls inside Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone. Marriott is said to have agreed to build a hotel there. So far, the only groundbreaking being done is by the rockets and mortars that almost daily land inside the international compound.
More solid is a recently announced deal worth $5.5 billion to buy 40 commercial aircraft from Boeing and 10 planes from Canada's Bombardier to give a much-needed upgrade to Iraqi Airway's aging fleet. Boeing also will help Iraq move its airports closer to international standards. Al-Yakobi says new airports will soon open in Mosul and Najaf which will attract substantial tourism investment.
More solid is a recently announced deal worth $5.5 billion to buy 40 commercial aircraft from Boeing and 10 planes from Canada's Bombardier to give a much-needed upgrade to Iraqi Airway's aging fleet. Boeing also will help Iraq move its airports closer to international standards. Al-Yakobi says new airports will soon open in Mosul and Najaf which will attract substantial tourism investment.
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