In the bad old days, nobody but Saddam's elite could get out of Iraq for a vacation. It's still not easy, what with the jihadists and their improvised explosive devices, but Iraqis can now enjoy beach vacations and the sight of bikini-clad chicks (hopefully from Lebanon, but maybe not, due to visa restrictions). To boot, the state monopoly on travel agencies is over.

More from USA Today.

Today, Iraqis who can afford it can travel abroad freely. Neighboring Syria is a popular destination. The bulk of the trips at Beirut Travel Agency in central Baghdad are five-day or one-week jaunts to Syria, says Dhamir al-Samarae, the agency's owner. Cheap accommodations, easy flights and the welcoming nature of Syrians have made the country a top destination, he says. Ahmed al-Dulaimi, a 24-year-old computer engineer in Baghdad, says he visited Syria last summer through a trip set up by a local travel agent and plans to revisit the country this summer.

He likes going to the Mediterranean coastal town of Latakia in Syria and enjoy things he can't in Iraq, "such as pretty girls in bikinis," he says.

Al-Dulaimi chooses Syria, he says, because it is inexpensive — he pays about $5 a night for a hotel room — "and you don't feel like a stranger there." Neighboring Jordan is also popular. Visa requirements make it tough for Iraqis to visit Lebanon. Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, is another popular spot — but too expensive for most Iraqis....Today, dozens of new travel agencies have cropped up to meet the growing demand, says Adnan Dawood al-Qaisy, deputy director of the Tourism and Travel Agency Union in Iraq.

Nascent capitalism: gotta love it. Air travel is starting to take-off in Iraq, as well. I hope they're hiring lots of well-trained air marshals.

TECHNORATI TAGS: IRAQ, VACATIONS, AIR TRAVEL, SYRIA, LATAKIA, BIKINIS, FREEDOM