TEHRAN – Mohammad Jafaganpana, vice president of Iran’s executive affairs, called on tourism operators to improve service standards and develop innovative products, saying the government will work to remove barriers to growth.
Ghaempanah spoke at a ceremony honoring veteran tourism workers and industrial activists at the Kooshk-e Bagh-e Honar Complex in Tehran’s Abbasabad cultural zone during Tourism Week, which began on September 27th, at the same time as World Tourism Day.
“We must create a tourist path from decisions to short, transparent and predictable experiences,” Gampana said. He added that domestic banks need to be used to support rural tourism and that investment regulations need to be streamlined and digitalised to promote private participation.
He added that data on tourist arrivals and departures is essential for planning infrastructure, and attention should be paid to capital markets, health tourism and local travel packages. “If the community benefits from tourism, they will move forward,” he said.
“I am committed to working to remove barriers to tourism development, but we should strive to standardize our services and create innovative products,” Ghaempanah told participants.
Mohammad Hossein Hejaj, head of Abbasabad’s Cultural and Tourism District, also said that despite the current challenges, the industry must pursue sustainable development pathways. He added that Abbasabad has been promoted as an urban ecopark and as a model of cultural innovation.
During the event, officials released a poster for a new book titled “I Am from Tehran,” produced by a team led by tourism researcher Arash Nouragaye, with the participation of the head of Tehran’s Cultural Heritage department.
Salehi-Amiri said it was in September earlier. Iran said it is trying to increase foreign arrivals to protect 1.6 million jobs in the sector and maintain 22,000 accommodation centres, 6,000 travel agents, 15,000 tour guides and 3,000 eco-lodges. The minister has identified neighbors in Central Asia, the Caucasus and Persian Gulf, particularly Iraq, as tourism priority markets. He added that other Islamic countries such as Egypt and Indonesia are also important targets.
According to official figures, 6.2 million foreign tourists visited Iran in 1402 (March 2023 and March 2024), and in 1403, 7.39 million people visited. The minister said the government aimed to grow 25% of its arrival this year, but was counted by a 12-day conflict in June and July (June 13th, the war adopted by Israel began in 2025).
Under Iran’s 7th National Development Plan, the country is looking to increase the arrival of foreign tourists to 15 million. Salehi-Amiri added that this requires an annual growth of 19.5%. He also called on the Congressional Research Center to offer suggestions to help revive the industry following the recent conflict.
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