Post-JCPOA Iran to raise wealth from tourism: Official

Iran has been seeking to generate wealth through boosting the tourism industry following the positive atmosphere after the agreement of the nuclear deal in 2015.

“Iran needs to breathe fresh air into the sector to reach sustainable growth and increase the number of foreign arrivals,” Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts (CHTHO) Director Zahra Ahmadipour said on Tuesday.

Addressing executive members of the Iranian Tour Operators Associations (ITOA), Ahmadipour, who is also a vice president, called for reinforcing the tourism infrastructure and building prestigious hotels in the country.

Iran has recently suggested granting years of tax exemption to domestic as well as foreign businesses and individuals as an encouragement for enhancing investment in tourism.

“The country should combine a number of its hotels into a united brand in order to help travelers find them as a reliable source of accommodation and other services,” Ahmadipour said.

ITOA Director Ebrahim Pourfaraj also noted the growing international demands for visiting Iran since the country is being turned into a major tourism destination for Europeans.

Following the implementing of the JCPOA in January 2016, Iran expects to offer its numerous tourist spots, including 21 sites registered on the UNESCO World Heritage list, to travelers.

The officials have announced that the arrival of foreign tourists in Iran has already been doubled during the recent years.

Currently, citizens of some 190 countries can get a visa on arrival in Iranian airports with one-month validation, which can be extended to 3 months.

More than 16 million foreign tourists visited Iran over the past three and a half years that brought some $24 billion to the country, CHTHO Deputy Director Morteza Rahmani-Movahhed said in September 2016.

MG/AI