Optimal Investment of Religious Tourism in Iraq: Towards a Sustainable Economic Tributary

Iraq possesses unique elements that enable it to transform the religious tourism sector into a sustainable economic source; however, this requires comprehensive infrastructure development, increased investments, and improved service quality. Amid the urgent need to diversify national income sources and reduce reliance on oil revenues, this sector represents a promising opportunity due to the annual influx of millions of visitors to holy shrines. Experts believe current revenues do not match the available potential due to a weak investment vision and limited private sector involvement in developing tourist facilities and transportation. To maximize these returns, recommendations emphasize the need to adopt digital technologies to facilitate entry procedures and offer tourism programs that integrate religious visits with archaeological sites to prolong visitor stays and increase their spending, positively impacting the local economy and creating new job opportunities.