TEHRAN – The visit of Spaniards to Iran has raised by more than double over the past four years, an official with the Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts organization says.

The number of Spanish travelers to Iran added up to 9,761 in the last Iranian calendar year (Mar. 20, 2016 – Mar. 20, 2017) while the figure stood at 4,022 in 1392 (Mar. 21, 2013 – Mar. 20, 2014), CHTHO Deputy Director Morteza Rahmani-Movahhed told ISNA on May 17.

“Cementing cooperation with Spain will help us adopt more effective policies,” he added, calling the southwestern European country a role model for the tourism sector.

Earlier this month, Matilde Pastora Asian Gonzalez, the Secretary of State for Tourism of Spain, expressed Madrid’s willingness to invest in tourism and hospitality infrastructures across Iran, referring to growing bilateral relations and Iran’s high tourism potentials.

She made the remarks in a meeting with Rahmani-Movahhed on the sidelines of the 105th UNWTO Executive Council held in Madrid on May 11 and 12.

The government has put in a great deal of effort to revive tourism and hospitality businesses since President Hassan Rouhani assumed office in August 2013.

Back in April, Rahmani-Movahhed publicized that a total of 19.9 million travelers visited the country during the four-year period.

An undated picture above released by Fars news agency shows a clergyman offering cookies to foreign travelers in the 17th-centuy Imam Mosque of Isfahan.

AFM/MG