The Role of the Iraqi Airways Offices in Global Travel and Tourism Competitive Indicators

Abstract

This study aims to show the role of the internal and external offices of the Iraqi Airways and their ability to support the competitiveness of the tourism sector. and we followed in this study on a descriptive approach to present the concepts of tourist offices and the analytical approach to extracting the strengths and weaknesses of the company, in addition to interviews, field visits, and observation to obtain real data and information serving the study. The importance of the study comes from, first, the role of internal and external offices in activating tourism activity in Iraq, which aims at the role of offices and identifying the problems and obstacles facing their work. The lack of trained and technical tourist cadres in the air transport sector. Second, we dealt with the indicators of the Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report (Davos) and the reality of the participation of Iraqi Airways and its offices, Among the most important findings of the study is the weak and ineffective role of the offices of Iraqi Airways (internal and external) in enhancing its competitiveness, which is not commensurate with Iraq’s tourist status in general, and the history and prestige of Iraqi Airways in particular. And the failure to establish a database that reflects the most important indicators of travel and tourism competitiveness to enhance and support the company’s global competitiveness despite the political and economic instability in Iraq, the renewed political and economic crises, and the Corona virus (Covid 19) crisis, which led to a near complete halt and the suspension of the work of airlines due to the epidemic, there are positive indicators of air transport activity in Iraq, especially in transporting visitors and tourists. For internal and external trips, the study first recommended the necessity of activating interest in the marketing and promotional aspect and revitalizing tourism services, and that office managers have scientific qualifications and specialists in the tourism aspect, and seek and coordinate with companies, tourism agencies, hotels, embassies, and diplomatic attaches to promote the company’s benefit and maximize its resources, Secondly, the state’s interest in seeking to enter the Republic of Iraq in the World Economic Forum (Davos) and competing with other countries, because Iraq possesses many components and natural, historical, archaeological, heritage and cultural treasures, and finally government support for the transport sector The air, which is one of the reasons for the development and progress of tourism.