Iran seeks to attract more Chinese tourists in the future

By the end of 2016, Iran will establish 3 tourism offices in China. The purpose would be to introduce the tourism attractions in Iran to Chinese tourists, and also offer vacation packages for them. The move of luring more tourists is part of Iran’s attempts to boost its economy in the face of the sanctions of the Western countries.

According to Masoud Soltanifar, Iran’s tourism chief, the country has abundant travel resources and is capable of providing its visitors with miscellaneous travel experiences. Iran is a secure country in a relatively unsecure region and has a lot of natural and cultural sites which are worth visiting.

For now, less than 50,000 Chinese tourists visit Iran every year. But with the relationship between China and Iran getting closer, the number of Chinese tourists visiting Iran would likely grow in the coming years.

In order to appeal to more Chinese tourists, Iran plans to improve its tourism infrastructures and services. This would include opening more Chinese restaurants, providing translation services and facilitating visa applications. Meanwhile, the number of direct flights between China and Iran will also be increased.

Soltanifar indicated that China and Iran are both important countries for handicraft in the world. With the growth of the tourism market, the cooperation between the both countries in this field will also be enhanced.

Source: Tehran Times

Photo: flickr