This past June, the first-ever American tour group traveled to Kurdistan, also known as “northern Iraq.” Escorted by cultural travel company Distant Horizons, a group of 17 Americans flew Austrian Airlines to the capital city of Erbil, and set off on an unprecedented two-week tour of the region. Kurdistan, which covers large swaths of northern Iraq (along with parts of Turkey, Iran and Syria) has developed a campaign promoting the region as The Other Iraq—a peaceful, stable and modernized autonomous region that has now opened its doors to American visitors.