Iraq Kurdistan to Tourists: Don’t Confuse Us with the Rest of Iraq

I’m accustomed to seeing TV commercials promoting vacations in places like New Zealand and Canada. So when I saw the commercial on CNN the other day touting travel to Kurdistan, I thought, of course, Kurdistan? Today, the AP explains the commercial’s origins. It turns out a California firm helped make the commercial for the Kurdistan Development Corp.

Reports the AP:

The location and political history of the region — the Kurds have previously sought independence from Iraq — make some marketing experts skeptical about the real intentions of the campaign.

Jonathan Frenzen, who teaches marketing at the University of Chicago, said the campaign looks to him to be more of an effort to distance Kurdistan from the rest of Iraq than to immediately lure tourists and investors.

“The ads are helping Kurdistan separate itself from the rest of Iraq,” Frenzen said. “It’s a clever way to go about it.”

That said, if you don’t mind a holiday in a war-torn region—and perhaps making a flight connection in beautiful Baghdad—you just might be pleased with Kurdistan’s offerings.

Remarked one Kurdistan official, “Historically (tourism) has been one of our strengths. For the adventure tourist there is rock climbing and river rafting. Great prophets are buried there. There are Roman ruins.”

I’m sure, but something tells me this just isn’t Kurdistan’s time.

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