Lifting of sanction promises boom in Iran’s tourism industry

/By AzerNews/

By Sara Rajabova

The recent P5+1 nuclear deal is expected to bring a revival to Iran’s tourism industry, which has been waiting for the lifting of the international sanctions imposed on the country over its nuclear energy program.

As the removal of the bans on the Islamic Republic paved the way for normalization of the country’s relations with foreign countries, especially in the West, Iran’s tourism sector promises to bring billons in revenues to the country.

Iran – with an ancient history, mix of cultures, different climatic zones and beautiful nature –is taking the measures to boost the tourism sector, which has been neglected after the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Within the framework of the plans to develop the tourism industry, Iran has recently revoked visa requirements for nationals of seven countries.

Citizens of Turkey, Lebanon, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Bolivia, Egypt, and Syria can travel to Iran without a visa, according to a report published by the Iranian media.

Under the new visa requirement regulations, citizens from these countries can stay in Iran visa-free from 15 to 90 days.

Iranian authorities have already started examining a visa waiver program under which visa limitations for citizens of 60 countries around the globe will be lifted.

The Islamic Republic, which is seen as one of the world’s top potential tourist destinations, attaches considerable significance to its booming tourism industry in recent years.

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani is hoping to attract 10 million international tourists each year.

Iran’s vice-president, Masoud Soltanifar, earlier said, “no other industry in Iran will see a bigger boost than tourism as the result of this deal. The news about the nuclear agreement and lifting of economic sanctions has delighted our tourism industry.”

After clinching the nuclear deal, interest towards the country has grown from the Western countries that earlier cut all ties with Iran

Some of the European countries are now easing travel restrictions to the Islamic country, which could provide sudden impetus to develop the Iran’s tourism industry.

The United Kingdom has recently relaxed its official travel advisory on visiting Iran, following the historic nuclear deal agreed earlier this month.

Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said there had been "decreasing hostility under President Rouhani's government".

The move comes weeks after talks ended in agreement on the future shape of Iran's nuclear program.

British citizens are still being told to avoid border areas close to Iraq, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, but they are no longer being advised to avoid all but essential travel to the rest of the country.

The advisory change is also welcomed by the tourists, as well as the tourism agencies that earlier organized the tourist visits to the country.

“Iran is a very safe destination, and now that diplomatic relations is slowly being restored, we feel many more people will take the opportunity to visit this amazing country teeming with historic and archaeological treasures as well as a hospitality that is unparalleled,” The Telegraph quoted David McGuinness, director of tour operator Travel the Unknown, and a regular visitor to Iran as saying.

The World Travel and Tourism Council has forecasted an increase of 6.6 percent in Iran’s tourism industry in 2015.

The WTTC in its recent report titled “Travel & Tourism: ECONOMIC IMPACT 2015 IRAN” assessed the value of Iran’s tourism industry for 2014 at about $7.8 billion.

Earlier, Iranian officials said the country plans to attract 20 million tourists annually by 2025, which could generate $30 billion in revenues.

Iran is seen as one of the world’s top potential tourist destinations, as it contains a countless number of ancient sites. The country ranks fourth in Asia and first in the Middle East in terms of the number of world heritage sites, with an impressive 17 historic sites that have been added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List.