Around 28 thousand Arab and foreign visitors to commemorate Ashura

INA - BAGHDAD 

The administration of Najaf International Airport announced on Saturday, the arrival of more than 28 thousand passengers from Arab foreign countries since the first of Muharram until today to commemorate Ashura. 

"The security and service plan for Ashura commemoration is proceeding with a high flow, and the traffic movement in the province did not block in the streets," said the governor of Najaf, Majid Al-Waeli in a statement received by the Iraqi News Agency - INA.

He explained that large numbers of mourners flocked to the governorate during these days to commemorate the Ashura visit ceremonies.

In turn, the Official Media at Najaf International Airport, Muthanna Al-Talqani stated to INA, that "the airport received, starting from the first of Muharram, more than 140 flights carrying more than 28,000 passengers," noting that the multiple destinations of the flights coming from Gulf states, Iran, Lebanon and other countries.

The hotels and markets of Najaf Governorate have been witnessing an influx of Arab and foreign visitors, which is the largest of its kind since the beginning of COVID-19, according to his statement. 

"The return of Arab and foreign visitors to commemorate Ashura and the rest of the religious occasions at the holy shrines in the holy cities of Najaf, the holy Karbala, the holy Kadhimiya and the holy Samarra, allowed tourism to flourish again," also included the statement of the head of Hotels Association in Najaf Governorate, Saeb Abu Ghneim to INA.

According to Ghneim, the religious tourism sector witnessed a decline in 2019 followed by a halt in 2020 due to the Corona pandemic, as the easing of health measures contributed to its recovery, which will reflect on the economic conditions in the cities where the holy shrines are located.