Iran tourism needs to rebuild global trust, expert says

Iran must rebuild trust with the global tourism market, the Head of the Iranian Tour Operators said on Sunday.  

The level of Iran’s health security and vaccination against coronavirus should be advertised internationally to gain further trust from the global tourism market, Ebrahim Pourfaraj said. 

The health and safety level in Iran is a concern for foreign tourists, he noted, ISNA reported. 

It is the responsibility of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, embassies, economic and cultural attaches, and ministries of health and tourism to inform the world about Iran’s [great achievements in] public vaccinations, the official added. 

During the pandemic, Iran has maintained contact with global tourism markets and companies that worked with the country in the past, especially since virtual communication and meetings have been held, he mentioned.

“Following the resumption of the tourist visa, visitors from Russia and France have traveled to Iran and we are currently expecting a smaller number of tourists in Iran due to the current situation in the world,” he explained.

There is, however, speculation that in the spring of 2022, the next high season of travel to Iran, the number of tourists and trips will increase, he added.

In January, the official announced that international tourism flow to Iran will return to normal in 2022.

Although there are requests for traveling to Iran in the current year (2021), most travel agencies and tour operators believe that the flow will go back to normal in the next year, he said.

Beginning mass vaccination against the coronavirus will provide better and safe conditions for international travels in 2022, he added. 

Last November, the World Tourism Organization announced that international tourist arrivals to Iran plunged 72% during the first eight months of 2020 when compared to 2019, highlighting the severe impact of COVID-19 as the main factor.

 Some experts believe Iran is still somehow “unknown” for many potential travelers due to Western “media war”. 

The ancient land is potentially a booming destination for travelers seeking cultural attractions, breathtaking sceneries, and numerous UNESCO-registered sites. Under the 2025 Tourism Vision Plan, Iran aims to increase the number of tourist arrivals from 4.8 million in 2014 to 20 million in 2025.