Accommodation Scams in Erbil

Newroz Accommodation Price Gouging

During Newroz (Kurdish New Year, celebrated on March 21) and the surrounding week, hotel rates across Erbil inflate by 200–400% as the city fills with Kurdish diaspora visitors and domestic tourists from across the KRI. Some accommodation providers advertise online rates that do not reflect the Newroz surcharge, then present a higher total at check-in citing "festival pricing" or "seasonal adjustment." Budget guesthouses in the bazaar area and mid-range hotels along Gulan Street are the most common venues for this practice.