Iran is preparing for a tsunami of tourists. Masoud Soltanifar, Irans Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization chief said during an interview with the Associated Press. There is a large number foreign tourists willing to visit Iran as this country is set to begin implementing a landmark nuclear deal with world powers, he added.
One of the world’s most mountainous countries, Iran contains two major ranges of mountains, the Alborz with one of the highest peaks in Asia and the Zagros that cuts across the country extending from north west to the south east of the country. There is a vastly extended network of rivers in Iran most of which seasonally are filled with water running from Alborz and Zagros mountains. There is also a variety in terms of temperature, humidity and rainfall different from place to place and season to season in Iran. Ultimately, Iran with a numerous rich cultural and historical attractions can be a treasure to visit, in western eyes.
There is no doubt that the tourist industry has been a driving engine and one of the key factors to boost economic growth around the world as it affects a variety of sections including hoteling industry as well as transportation.
Tourism with the tremendous amount of income (over $3 trillion) has become one of the fast growing industries in the world in 2013, according to the World Tourism Organization. The number of tourists all around the world, has increased almost 8% to approximately 1.08 billion in 2013 compared to 2012, regarding the statistics released by WTO. It is worth considering that this amount is estimated to reach to 1.8 billion till 2030.
Considering this, Iran aims to host 20 million tourists a year by 2025, with expectations of growing the tourist industry to $30 billion. The government has also set some easing policies to facilitate entrance regulations and visa rules upon arrival of foreign travelers.
There are nearly 130 four star and five star hotels which need to be increased to 400 by 2025, however some of these hotels should be modernized. Likewise, the air transportation system needs to be renovated and new passenger planes should be bought to meet the global standards of this industry.
Last but not least, the tourism is considered to play a key role in the future of Iran and its economy, specifically after sanctions relief and It is expected to have investors both from public and private sectors eager to enter this industry during the years to come.
