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Kurdish leaders have long said the Region must exploit its natural beauty, its snowy mountains, and its mild, humid climate to properly develop its tourism sector and move the economy away from its overreliance on oil. Now the Middle East Tourism Expo (METEX) is in town to attract that investment. 

Some 250 companies hailing from 20 countries kicked off the four-day METEX event at the Erbil International Fair Ground on Sunday.

The event was inaugurated by Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani, Minister of Municipalities and Tourism Newroz Mawlood Amin, and Iraqi Minister of Culture and Tourism Abdulameer al-Hamdani.

According to figures from Kurdistan Region tourism body, 76,000 tourists came to the Kurdistan Region in the two days before the Kurdish new year, Newroz, on March 21 last year, reaching 234,000 by the end of the month.

METEX runs until March 20. 

Photos: Mohammed Shwani / Rudaw