11 December 2018 - 15:50
Iran very cheap to travel

More than 4.7 million foreigners have traveled to Iran from the beginning of the year till October 22, according to Ali Asghar Mounesan, the head of Iran’s Cultural Heritage, Handicraft and Tourism Organization. The statistics show the 56% increase in the total number of foreign visitors compared with the same period last year.

Isfahan (IMNA) - “Despite all sanctions imposed by the US, we have managed to attract more foreign tourists to the country. We expect to witness the higher growth in inbound tourism in the coming months,” Mounesan said in an interview with the state TV on Thursday. The official put the lower costs of Iran travel packages as a key factor in making the country more attractive for foreigners.

The sharp decline in the value of the national currency in recent months seems to be an opportunity for fostering the promising industry of tourism in Iran. In recent months, Iranian authorities have redoubled efforts to give a boost to the tourism sector of the country to increase foreign currency revenues and create jobs in the current economic conditions. A sharp declining national currency has meant that travelling to and shopping in Iran is now significantly cheaper for foreign nationals.

But the path has not been free of challenges. The negative image created by the US along with foreign airliners' decisions to stop Iran flights in recent months are two key problems the ICHTO is facing, Mounesan said.

He believes that hosting the 40th Plenary Session of the United Nations World Tourism Organization Affiliate Members in Hamedan has helped lower the recently-raised negativities about Iran.

Following the decline in the value of the national currency, several foreign airlines put an end to their Iran flights. However, Iran has reached agreements with other airlines in order to replace them.

At a press conference on the sidelines of the inauguration of the international meeting, the global tourism industry’s biggest annual event, UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said the organization is ready to assist Iran as a longstanding member.

“We have traveled to Iran to introduce the country as a safe and calm tourism destination and through helping develop tourism in Iran, strengthen it in face of its problems,” he was quoted as saying.

“Our presence in Iran means that we invite the people of the world to travel to this country and visit its many tourist attractions to add to the number of tourists visiting the country,” he added.

Following the decline in the value of the national currency, several foreign airlines put an end to their Iran flights. British Airways, Air Arabia and KLM were among airlines that found Iran operations not profitable anymore.

“However we have reached agreements with other airlines in order to replace them,” Mounesan said without providing further details.

Qatar Airways announced Monday it is expanding operations in Iran, despite US sanctions on the Islamic republic of Iran and an Arab diplomatic rift between Saudi Arabia and its allies on the one hand and Doha on the other hand over the latter’s adoption of close ties with Iran.

The carrier will begin twice-weekly flights to Isfahan in February 2019 and increase existing services to Shiraz and Tehran in January 2019, it said in a statement. “These latest launches are further evidence of Qatar Airways’ commitment to Iran,” said Akbar al-Baker, the airline’s group chief executive. Last month, Baker said services to Iran would continue despite a tightening economic and political squeeze on the Islamic republic by Washington.

In addition to US sanctions, the Trump administration has imposed travel restrictions that target and hurt Iranians among other nationals. Based on the policies, that became known as the “Muslim Ban” due to the fact that they primarily target Muslim nations, any nationals that have recently travelled to Iran, in addition to several other countries, will find their travels to the US restricted. 

To counter the Trump move, Iran launched an initiative that has been fully implemented in recent months. It eliminates the need for passports of foreign nationals traveling to Iran to be stamped, which removes any threat of future complications in the US.


Source: Irantourismnews

News ID 361083

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