ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Restaurant activity in the Kurdistan Region has dropped by around 35 percent, a local official said on Sunday, as the fallout from the ongoing conflict in the region continues to weigh on tourism and consumer demand.
Shukr Aziz, deputy head of the Erbil branch of the Kurdistan Association of Hotels and Restaurants, told Rudaw that the downturn is affecting the sector broadly, particularly restaurants holding tourism licenses. Despite the decline in business, he stressed that no restaurants have shut down and menu prices have not been increased.
Mahmoud Tawfiq, head of the association’s Sulaimani branch, said no restaurants or tourist venues have ceased operations due to rising gas prices, and confirmed that price levels have remained unchanged.