Shafaq News/ In the heart of Iraq lies Karbala, a city etched in historyand faith; it is one of the most significant cities for religious tourismworldwide, attracting nearly 80 million visitors annually, both from withinIraq and abroad.
Why Karbala?
A holy city in central Iraq, Karbala is a significant pilgrimagedestination for Shia Muslims, especially during the Islamic holy month ofMuharram. It's here that the Ashura ceremony takes place (Muharram 10),commemorating the martyrdom of Imam Hussein, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad.
In 680 CE, Imam Hussein, along with his family and a small band of loyalfollowers, refused to pledge allegiance to a ruler they deemed unjust. Thiscourageous stand resulted in a fateful battle in Karbala, where Imam Husseinand his companions were outnumbered and ultimately martyred.
This event holds immense significance for Shia Muslims. It serves as apotent symbol of sacrifice in the face of tyranny, a testament to theimportance of upholding one's convictions even in the face of overwhelmingodds.
Every year on Ashura, Karbala transforms into a sea of mourning andremembrance. Massive processions, a tide of humanity clad in black, weave theirway through the city streets, culminating at the revered Imam Hussein Shrine.The air thrums with chants, mournful recitation of elegies, and the rhythmicbeating of chests in a collective expression of grief and solidarity.
But Ashura transcends mere mourning. It's a day for reflection, a timeto contemplate themes of social justice, unwavering courage, and the steadfastcommitment to fighting for what one believes in. Acts of charity and kindnessare particularly encouraged during this period.
Karbala's significance extends beyond Ashura. The city itself is a reveredpilgrimage site throughout the year, with the Imam Hussein Shrine drawingmillions of visitors.
While Sunni Muslims also observe Ashura, their focus often leans moretowards the historical aspects of the day.
Ashura 2024
On Tuesday evening, ceremonies commemorating Imam Hussein's martyrdom,coinciding with the tenth night of Muharram (Ashura) in the Islamic Hijricalendar, were held. Millions of visitors flocked to the shrines of ImamHussein and his brother Abbas amid extensive service, health, and securitypreparations to ensure a smooth pilgrimage despite the large crowds from Iraqand beyond.
Among the arrivals in Iraq was Um Mohammed, a 45-year-old from Bahrain,who spoke to Shafaq News Agency reporter about her visit and the overallatmosphere.
"We usually visit Iraq in the month of Muharram to perform theAshura and Arbaeen pilgrimages. I arrived in Karbala three days ago via aflight to Najaf Airport. Currently, we are staying in a hotel in Karbala forten days before returning. Sometimes, we stay until the Arbaeen pilgrimage. Wehave noticed significant urban development, and hotels are available atreasonable prices." Um Mohammed said.
She added, "We visit Iraq solely for the religious pilgrimage inKarbala and Najaf and then return to our country. We do not visit other touristsites, whether natural or historical."
Tawfiq Al-Habbali, the Director of Media and Government Communication inKarbala Governorate, told Shafaq News Agency that "last year, in 2023, thegovernorate welcomed 23 million visitors during the Arbaeen pilgrimagealone."
The importance of the city for Iraqis and Muslims, particularly Shia,reflects the need for special attention to this city, given its potential as animportant economic and cultural resource for the state.
Special Attention For the Holy City
The influx of millions of visitors to the city for religious ritualsover a short period would overwhelm any country's capacity. However, inKarbala, the process is carried out in the "best possible manner"despite the infrastructure's inability to accommodate these numbers. Thishighlights the need for developing infrastructure, constructing highways,airports, high-quality hotels, and electronic services, according to experts.
In this context, Azher Al-Kalash, Vice President of the Association ofHotels and Tourist Restaurants in Karbala, said, "Karbala has the highestnumber of hotels in Iraq, with 900 hotels of various levels, equivalent toone-third of the total number of hotels in the entire country. Some hotels havesafety and security concerns raised by the civil defense, but the most complywith the regulations and instructions."
Regarding hotel prices, Al-Kalash told Shafaq News Agency, "Tourismin every country is influenced by supply and demand. Hence, hotel and transportationprices rise during peak times. In Karbala, the minimum hotel rate is around $10per night, while the maximum can reach $50 during Ashura. However, the amountdoubles during the Arbaeen pilgrimage due to the high demand. Arbaeen is themost significant pilgrimage that hotel owners rely on throughout theyear."
He emphasized that "tourism plays an important role in stimulatingvarious sectors, whether hotels, agriculture, trade, or others. It contributesto the employment of all economic sectors of society."
Meanwhile, Mohammed Odeh Al-Obaidi, President of the Iraqi TourismAssociation, explained, "One of the features of tourism in Iraq isreligious tourism, which is not limited to Islamic tourism alone. Currently, weare experiencing the Muharram pilgrimages. Despite the large number ofvisitors, the infrastructure does not match this influx."
Al-Obaidi told Shafaq News Agency, "Millions of visitors come toperform these rituals and beliefs over a few days and then return to theircities and countries. No country in the world can accommodate such numbers. Wehave seen what happened during the Hajj season, which was accompanied by manydeaths due to the crowds and weather conditions. However, in Karbala, suchcases have not been recorded due to better development, coordination, andplanning despite the infrastructure's inability to accommodate these numbers.This gives the world an image that Iraq is safe and capable of receiving alltypes of guests from different countries."
He confirmed that "one of the successful and developed forms oftourism in Iraq today is religious tourism, which is a source of pride forIraq. However, we need to develop the infrastructure by opening investments,supporting the private sector, and removing all obstacles that could hinderinvestment and limit the private sector. This will lead to a renaissance inthis field."
Al-Obaidi added, "There is also a need to construct more highways,airports, high-quality hotels, and electronic services, along with applicationsthat display all the services needed by visitors in the country to compareprices and book according to their economic level."