A Geographical Analysis of Commercial Centers in Erbil and Their Impact on Tourism Activities

Abstract

Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, has seen rapid growth in various fields, especially in the field of trade and tourism.

Of course, malls in the city is one of the important needs that should be provided in the city to meet the needs of the population and promote the movement of tourism,

Malls are not only commercial places but also part of the entire tourism experience in the city. Economically, the presence of large malls has a direct impact on increasing capital inflows, creating job opportunities for youth and attracting tourists Such as (cinemas, stadiums, restaurants and shopping) play an important role.

The importance of the research is that malls in general are economically and socially important because they provide job opportunities for individuals in society and bring in foreign currency, all of which will ultimately affect the recovery of other sectors and improve the economic infrastructure. This research relies on the method (inductive) during the collection of data and information in official institutions with the method (analysis) of the necessary maps of this subject and rely on the geographical information system (GIS) to draw maps with the use of several criteria.

The research site includes Erbil, which includes all (6) municipalities, and the time limit of the research includes the years (2021-2024) for this purpose, based on data and statistics of the Ministry of Commerce and Tourism Board.