TEHRAN – Iran’s tourism sector has seen a 36 percent increase in the number of international visitors in the first two months of the current Persian calendar, which began on March 20.
At a tourism-related business committee meeting held on Wednesday, tourism development officials said [Iranian] This year, the number of foreign tourists has increased by 36% compared to the same period last year.
Moslem Shojaei stressed the need to identify key tourism priorities and noted that the development capacities selected in each state must be competitive with other states in attracting foreign tourists.
“To achieve this, we need to leverage the power of major travel agencies and foreign journalists based in Iran,” he further elaborated. “Also, study tours would be helpful.”
Moreover, the official stressed that the tourism sector cannot develop without the participation of the private sector.
In his concluding remarks, Shojaei noted that the ministry’s Marketing and Tourism Development Headquarters is ready to provide media content produced in different provinces to foreign tourists.
As stated by the Iranian Ministry of Tourism, in the last Iranian calendar year that ended on March 19, over six million foreign tourists arrived in Iran by air, land and sea.
Last year, Iran prepared to unilaterally eliminate visa requirements for citizens of 32 countries, which took effect on February 4. Alireza Bigdeli, deputy foreign minister for consular, parliamentary and Iranian expatriate affairs, said the plan was part of efforts aimed at boosting tourism and easing travel restrictions for visitors from certain countries.
The Visa Waiver Program has been approved for India, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Indonesia, Brunei, Japan, Singapore, Cambodia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Brazil, Peru, Cuba, Mexico, Bolivia, Venezuela, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Croatia, Belarus, Lebanon, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Mauritania, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Mauritius and Seychelles.
In addition, the Islamic Republic of Iran has previously cancelled visits to Turkey, the Republic of Azerbaijan, Oman, China, Armenia, Lebanon, Syria and other countries, implementing various measures including unilateral, bilateral and group visa cancellations. Airport visa cancellations have also been implemented in some cases. This privilege was granted to group tourists from Russia under a reciprocal agreement signed between Tehran and Moscow.
The Islamic republic is hoping to make big bucks from its numerous tourist sites, including bazaars, museums, mosques, bridges, baths, madrasahs, mausoleums, churches, towers and mansions, 27 of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
XF/AM
