The ruins of Babylon in Iraq have been added to the UNESCO World Heritage List. The Iraqi government believes the move will be a good opportunity to develop the country's tourism industry.

Babylon has a reputation as the cradle of human civilization, with endless historic artifacts and multiple layers of ancient ruins yet to be excavated. The inclusion of Iraq's Babylon ruins in the World Heritage List is regarded as a special recognition by UNESCO and it's been exciting the whole nation in the past few days.

BASSEM ZAMILI, DIRECTOR OF INFORMATION OFFICE IRAQ MINISTRY OF CULTURE, TOURISM & ANTIQUITIES "The Iraqi people have contributed a great deal to the addition of Babylon to the World Heritage List. And this result is a very meaningful cultural victory, following the military victory over ISIL."

The approval of the World Heritage Committee brought unity and pride to the war-torn country, along with further attention from around the globe. The Iraqi government responded quickly to initiate plans for the development of tourism, trying to make the best use of Babylon's reputation.

BASSEM ZAMILI, DIRECTOR OF INFORMATION OFFICE IRAQ MINISTRY OF CULTURE, TOURISM & ANTIQUITIES "Babylon has drawn attention from around the world, from governmental and private tourist organizations. Subsequently, we will develop Babylon and other historic sites to stimulate the tourism industry."

However, Iraq has been a warzone for such a long time that all its infrastructure remains what it was decades ago, with some areas even more damaged. Turning Babylon into a tourism opportunity requires the improvement of the country's overall infrastructure.

HAIDER FARHAN, PRESIDENT ASSOCIATION OF IRAQI ARCHAEOLOGISTS "Tourists need restaurants. They need transportation, nearby airports and fast lanes to get to the destination comfortably. These are the prerequisite conditions of the tourism industry, but we still have nothing prepared."

The Iraqi government has decided to invest more money and efforts to deal with this problem. The Ministry of Culture has allocated around 2 million US dollars for the protection and development of Babylon, while other ministries and the Central Bank of Iraq are also making initiatives to seize the opportunity. A complex plan centered on Babylon is expected to be implemented in the years to follow, as an important part of the reconstruction of the historical site.