Iranian Tourism Improving
Manager of Orient Express Tourism Agency in Gottingen city, Hartmut Neumann, told IRNA that Iran tourism sector is booming and many problems have been resolved.
Speaking on the sidelines of Berlin Tourism Exhibition, Neumann said the conditions of Iranian hotel industry have also improved.
He said the biggest problem of Iranian tourism is its weak marketing at the international level.
“This weakness negatively influences promotion of Iran tourism and the number of tourists visiting Iran,“ he said.
Neumann pointed out that the number of tourists applying to visit Iran in 2009 has increased considerably.
“The global financial crisis will result in recession in the tourism sector, but its negative influence on Iran tourism will be much less,“ he said.
Neumann, with an experience of more than 30 years in the field of conducting tours to Iran, said although even small countries have a tourism office in Germany, Iran does not have such an office despite its tourism potentials.
“A coordinating office can provide tourists with information on tourism conditions in Iran,“ he said.
The tour operator noted that since the number of foreign tourists visiting Iran is much less than tourists visiting Turkey, an air ticket to Iran is nearly double that of a ticket to Turkey.
Referring to the impact of negative propaganda by the western media against the Islamic Republic, Neumann said such propaganda will certainly impact tourism conditions in Iran.
The five-day exhibition wrapped up on March 15.
A Favorable Destination
Iran has always been a target tourism destination for countries ranging from Arab states, southeast Asia and Europe.
Announcing this, the head of the Headquarters for Publicity and Exhibitions of Iran Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization (ICHHTO) said the division of countries into major groups is in line with the development of tourism sector and the objectives of 2025 Vision, according to which Iran should attract 1.5 percent of world tourists by 2025.
Mohammad Hossein Barzin added that Bahrain, Syria, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Lebanon, Kuwait and Iraq, due to their cultural and religious commonalities and also due to Iran+s potential in the field of religious tourism, top the list.
“Iran has always been at the center of attention of tourists from southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent, including Japan, China, Malaysia and Thailand as a tourism attraction,“ he said.
Barzin pointed out that countries such as France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden and Finland in western Europe and Scandinavia also top the list of countries with the highest number of tourists, particularly in the field of ecotourism.
“We are planning to take part in exhibitions planned in the American and Oceania continents with the aim of familiarizing tourists with Iran tourism attractions,“ he said.
The official pointed out that Iran attended 21 international tourism exhibitions in different parts of the world in 2007-8.
“We managed to portray a clear picture of Iran+s historical, natural, cultural and tourism attractions to the people of the world,“ he said.
Barzin said programs for 2009 include participation in 28 international tourism exhibitions across the world.
-- IRNA --
Tags: iran tourism