Tourism expo kicks off in Iran capital

The 10th Tehran International Tourism Exhibition has kicked off among the presence of officials and tourism experts in the Iranian capital.

The tourism expo opened on Monday in the presence of head of Iran’s Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization, Zahra Ahmadipour, as well as Tourism Ministers of Lebanon and South Africa as well as delegations from Turkey, Russia, Armenia and several other countries.

Iran will be displayed as the “land of diversity” and civilization, which enables it to enhance all sectors of its tourism industry with the presence of cultural figures, Ahmadipour said at the opening.

“The expo is being held at a time when Iran is enjoying stability and security, which along with the government’s moderate approach to politics and preference for dialogue, has made it possible to connect with the world through diplomacy,” she noted.

President Hassan Rouhani’s government “is determined to use the potentials of tourism to promote peace and security in the region and the ICHHTO has aligned its priorities with this government policy,” Ahmadipour said.

“I hope that Iran will soon be known worldwide as a popular tourist destination,” the official added.

Also present at the ceremony was Morteza Rahmani Movahed, the organization’s tourism deputy, who expressed hope that the exhibition will help “spread the message of peace, friendship and cooperation to the world, especially neighboring countries.”

Minister for Islamic Culture and Guidance Reza Salehi Amiri also highlighted the country’s diverse cultural capacities, saying they can be used to promote the holiday industry and generate revenue.

“Cultural diplomacy is best manifested through tourism and the government has prepared the ground for the development of the sector by pushing for the nuclear agreement with the world powers,” Amiri said, referring to the nuclear deal between Tehran and the six major world powers signed in July 2015.

The 10th Tehran International Tourism Exhibition is being held from February 6-9 at Tehran’s Permanent Fairgrounds.

Over 60 companies from 21 countries and 400 Iranian firms are attending the expo themed ‘See Iran Differently’.

AI/AI