All hope is not lost for Iraq as a tourist destination, senior Labor MP Chris Bowen believes.
He visited the northern city of Erbil, just 80km from the former Islamic State battleground of Mosul, and says while the economy is very troubled he saw a thriving city and cause for hope and optimism.
"Iraq has artefacts and buildings which are older than the pyramids, it's got the capacity for a tourism market, for people to go and visit the great religious and historical sites, but until it is secure of course the Iraqi economy won't improve," he said.
