ITB Berlin exhibition promotes Iran tourism

More than 30 tourism-associated businesses have showcased Iran’s tourism potentials at the 51st edition of Internationale Tourismus-Börse Berlin (ITB) in Germany.

The event which wrapped up on March 11 played host to Iran’s pavilion with several meetings, exhibits, workshops and live performances ran by state companies and private sections headed by the Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Organization of Iran.

Iran sent its largest ever delegate, including representatives from Tabriz Municipality as well as the Islamic Republic of Iran Railways, Homa and Mahan airliners.

Among the high-rank Iranian officials attending the inauguration ceremony of the expo were CHTHO Director Zahra Ahmadipour, CHTHO Deputy Director Morteza Rahmani-Movahed, and Iranian Tour Operators Association Director Ebrahim Pourfaraj.

Addressing the ceremony, the head of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Taleb Rifai described US President’s revised travel ban as “ill-conceived”.

He said “Past experience has shown us that a country that is serious about tourism and has built an infrastructure always bounces back. Look at Egypt. It has been up and down for the last 10 years; every time it comes back stronger than before.”

The travel ban bars citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries, including Iran, from entering the US borders.

Considered as the largest travel trade expo in the world, the ITB has focused on the slogan introduced by the UNWTO earlier this year: International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development 2017.

Tour operators, online booking portals and hotels, and many other service providers from more than 180 countries presented their products and services during the five-day event.

MG/RSH