Tehran, UNESCO talk to bolster tourism in Iran

Iran’s Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Organization has held a consultative meeting on sustainable tourism with a UNESCO representative to highlight ongoing bilateral cooperation.

Tourism stakeholders ranging from government officials to academia and representatives of NGOs and the private sector attended the meeting in Iran on Tuesday, discussing roles the country can take to mark 2017 as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development.

Esther Kuisch-Laroche, the director and representative of the UNESCO Cluster Office in Tehran raised issues such as capacity-building for World Heritage Site managers, strengthening museum management, protection and promotion of underwater cultural heritage, training of specialized tour guides, and supporting the CHTHO in the development of a national strategy for sustainable tourism.

Reminding participants the role of tourism in economic development, Kuisch-Laroche said, “The tourism sector accounts for 7 percent of worldwide exports, one in 11 jobs and 10 percent of the world’s GDP.”

“As we have entered the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development, let us use this unique opportunity to build a more responsible and committed tourism sector that can capitalize its immense potential in terms of economic prosperity, social inclusion, cultural and environmental preservation, and peace and understanding,” she explained.

CHTHO Director Zahra Ahmadipour also emphasized the importance of sustainable tourism for development during a keynote speech and called upon the attendees to put forward concrete proposals, considering all relevant cultural, social and economic aspects.

During the 18th Spanish Tourism Fair – FITUR – in January, the United Nations World Tourism Organization officially named 2017 as “International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development”.

Considering numerous natural beauties, deeply-rooted-in-time history and culture, and an abundance of tourist sites, Iran seeks to acquire greater share of the global tourism industry.

Some 21 of the ancient Iranian spots have been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

In October 2016, CHTHO announced that foreign tourist arrivals in Iran have more than doubled that of the global average since the implementation of the nuclear deal or so-called JCPOA.

MG/AI