Iraq still open for tourism

It might be one of the most unlikely tourist destinations but the Sheraton Hotel based in Baghdad is still welcoming tourists.

8 visitors to the country, which included British and American people, stayed two nights at the the hotel as part of a visit to Iraq. The country is known for historical sites and cities despite the fact that there is still some chance of getting caught up in a bomb attack. The tour includes Irbil, Basra and Babylon and also takes in Najaf and Kerbala which are both holy cities. Part of the tour also takes visitors to the Baghdad ground which was fitted by Saddam Hussein. To gain access to the ground can take up to two hours to get through the checkpoints. All of the people who went say the trip was worth their while and found the people there to be welcoming. None of the group were said to be over worried about their safety either. The trips are organized by Hinterland Travel who are based in the United Kingdom. Initially they were told they would require 25 security guards but in the end the trip went ahead without the need for security after all. The tourists spent a total of 17 days in the country. Tina Townsend-Greaves a tourist from the UK said "My friends certainly think I'm a bit mad - but I tend to go on holiday to places like Afghanistan, so I think they're used to it! Geoff Moore, another tourist said: "It's quite wonderful to be here. To get here, I mean - come on! - you've got to put up with something haven't you?"