The demand for tourism in the province of Erbil : especially during the winter season of 2015-2016

Abstract EN

The picturesque nature and water resources in the Kurdistan Region stimulate many tourists in the neighboring areas to come to the arena and spend a pleasant time.

As the economy of the Kurdistan region recovers, its tourism industry is also booming, and tourism demand is rising.

At the macro level of the Kurdistan Region, the annual increase in tourist demand (tourist arrivals) increased during the period years 2007-2013, which was about 33% in 2013, while the rate declined significantly in 2014 to 48% due to the ISIS war, and the financial crises.

However, at the level of Erbil governorate, a random sample of 201 tourists was taken in the winter of the year 2015-2016, where most of them (22.4%) spent 100,000 dinars on each trip.

About 30% of the people surveyed travel once a year, another 30% travel twice a year, and 16% travel three times a year.

The explanatory variables of the tourism demand model in Erbil governorate consist of: The effects of high prices, transportation means, tourism expenses, reservation system, income level, and educational level have significant effects on the dependent variable (number of tourism times per year), because the calculated F statistic is greater than F tabular, with Ṝ2= 68.6%.

While the most significant variables affecting the demand model individually (ceteris paribus) are clarified by the t-test at the level of 5% alpha consisting of; price effects, transportation means, tourism expenses, and reservation system.