The Reality and Role of Rural Tourism in Creating Job Opportunities in Erbil Governorate: A Field Study

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the reality of rural tourism in Erbil Governorate and demonstrate its impact on job creation. It adopts an inductive approach, with data collected from a sample of 150 individuals working in the public and private sectors in rural areas. The data were analyzed using the statistical software SPSS (version 27). The results revealed a strong and statistically significant relationship between rural tourism and job creation, with a correlation coefficient of r = 0.786 at a significance level of Sig. = 0.000, indicating statistical significance at α ≤ 0.01. The study recommends adopting the "community tourism" model, which emphasizes involving residents in planning, implementation, and benefit-sharing. It also highlights the need for tourism authorities in Erbil Governorate to support and organize rural tourism by developing sustainable development plans, providing incentives for investors, and offering loans for small-scale projects in this sector.