By: Kayhan International

 

Iran’s tourism sector is rapidly expanding with an increasing number of international visitors lining up from various countries of the world for trips to the Islamic Republic in spite of the illegal US sanctions and the poisonous propaganda of the western media.

Revenues of the tourism sector in 2023 exceeded 6.2 billion dollars and are all set for an estimated increase of 20 percent by the end of the current year (2024) in view of Iran’s rich history, diverse cultures, climatic variations, preservation of ancient sites and modernization of its airports, hotels, resorts, telecommunications, and transportation network of roads and railways.

Compared to 2019 international arrivals in 2024 have soared by 26 per cent as Iran has stepped up promotion of its image abroad by holding seminars, and even roadshows to attract visitors of various ethnicities, ideologies, and faiths.

This is in addition to the flourishing pilgrimage sector that facilitates visits by millions of people to the holy sites in Mashhad, Qom, Tehran, Shiraz, and other places. 

The World Heritage List of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has so far registered 28 sites in Iran with another 50 other on the tentative list, making the country a prime attraction for visitors from around the world.

The Iranian government for its part has taken initiatives to improve tourist facilities and promote less-known destinations within the country thereby slowly changing perceptions and attracting a growing number of international visitors.

Tourists to Iran can avail of a range of activities from hiking and skiing in the snow-covered peaks of the Alborz and Zagros mountains, to beach holidays by the Persian Gulf and the Caspian Sea, as well as exploring the majesty of its deserts, caves, and thick forests.

Of course, among the major attractions are Iran’s exquisite centres of Persian art and architecture with their well-preserved colourful mosaic designs, the famous Persian carpets, and a large variety of handicrafts that visitors prized as souvenirs.

It is now the government’s responsibility to remove the hurdles through digital initiatives in visa processing and travel services for simplifying arrivals from around the world, in order to thwart the negative and overtly hostile attitude of the US, the West European regimes, and the illegitimate Zionist entity.

At the same time, a robust calendar of events and festivals is needed for ensuring the continuation attraction of visitors to the Islamic Republic, whose support for the oppressed of the world has made the popular Islamic system of government a model to aspire for freedom movements, peoples, and governments of states in the region and beyond.