By Eric Jackson

Two years ago National Geographic placed Kurdistan in its top 20 best trips, and since then the autonomous region of Iraq has built on its growing reputation as a desirable tourism destination.

Now, in an effort to take the region to the next level – with the promise of ski resorts and much more - it is staging a Tourism Infrastructure Development Conference in London, supported by UK Trade & Investment.

It will take place at the BIS Conference Centre on Tuesday, 2 July, against a background of over $2bn worth of private investment tourism infrastructure, and it will enable some of Kurdistan’s largest companies, senior officials, chambers of commerce and trade associations to meet and potentially partner with British producers of goods, services, expertise and consulting companies.

And the offering appears to be very attractive indeed. In May the BBC described Kurdistan’s progress in the past 10 years as ‘an inspiring success story.’

The report added: “The region's progress is on full display in its capital city of Erbil, 249 miles north of Baghdad. Iraqi Kurds have stunningly rebuilt a dirt-poor and traumatised society from scratch since they gained their autonomy in 1991. “Erbil is unmatched by any other city in post-Saddam Iraq and is prospering like no other part of the country.”

Mahmoud Othman, an MP for the Kurdish Alliance, said: "We have turned Erbil from a run-down and shabby place into a little Dubai. It is the safest place in the whole of Iraq and Irbil has been named the 2014 tourism capital of the year [by the Arab Council of Tourism].

"We have flourished because we are no longer run with an iron fist or fear."

Erbil - recognised as the world's longest continuously inhabited city, dating back 8,000 years and famous for its citadel and ancient monuments - is changing rapidly, with new hotels being built to accommodate visitors from Iraq and beyond. Erbil has a glittering airport, European-styled traffic lights, well-paved roads and highly functional infrastructure.

Beyond the capital there are spectacular landscapes of valleys, mountains and desert-like planes. Its mix of religions - Christians who still speak Aramaic, Yezidis, Muslims and several sects that date back centuries - provides a colourful backdrop to a tolerant society living in harmony.

“The mountains and rivers have the potential to offer skiing, river rafting and other adventurous sports,” said Nawal Karim, Director of Trade and Investment Relations at the KRG UK Representation.

“Yet our rich offering is largely untouched by tourists, particularly from the West, as the region is only just beginning to build the infrastructure needed to open itself to tourism. Hotels, cable cars, ski resorts, holiday complexes, telecommunications, training in the hospitality industry, branding and marketing are all areas that are ripe for development.

“In 2012, over 2.2m tourists visited Kurdistan, up 30% compared with the previous year. But this barely touches the kind of potential there is for tourism on a bigger scale.

“The Kurdistan Regional Government and the Kurdish private sector are working hand in hand to develop Kurdistan's tourism infrastructure and they welcome international and particularly British participation.

The tourism sector is not the only thing Kurdistan has high hopes for – the region’s officials predict that it could surpass Libya's oil output by 2019 by producing 2m barrels per day, putting it in the list of oil-producing giants.

Confirmed attendees from Kurdistan for the tourism conference include Minister Dilshad Shahab, KRG Ministry of Municipalities and Tourism; Tahir Abdulla, Deputy Governor of Erbil; Herish Muharam, Chairman, Kurdistan Board of Investment; Nawroz Mawlood, Director General, Erbil Board of Tourism; Mawlawy Jabar Wahab, Chairman, General Directorate of Tourism; Sherwan Qader, Director General of Tourism in Erbil; Yaseen Fqee, Director General of Tourism in Sulaimani; Obaidullah Dawod, Director General of Tourism in Duhok; Pshtiwan Al-Zangana, Director General of Tourism in Germiyan; Dara Jalil Khayat, President, Erbil Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Sirwan Mahmood, Chairman, Sulaimaniyah Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Ayad Abdul-Halim, President, Dohuk Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Ahmed Rekani, President, Kurdistan Investors Union; Rizgar Dizayee, Head of Public Relations, Kurdistan Contractors Union; Azzat Othman, Executive Manager, Dabin Group; Malashene B. Sheni, Chairman, Darin Group; Sagvan Barwary, Chairman, Khazir Group; Khlail Nazeer, Chairman, UB Group; Peshraw Agha, Chairman, Falcon Group & Empire World; Ahmed Al Majidi, Hewa Group; Hearsh Ahmad, Chairman, Kurdistan Hotels & Restaurant Association; Shakor Azeez Shaikhah, Vice-Chairman. Kurdistan Hotels and Restaurant Association; Rizgar Kadir, CEO, Tangram Hotel.

Other invited guests from Kurdistan include Bahros Salih, the Governor of Sulaimani, Tamar Ramazan, the Governor of Dohuk.

GT