TEHRAN – The number of foreign tourists visiting Iran surged 38 percent in the first four months of the current Iranian calendar year (started on March 21) from a year earlier, tourism chief has said.

Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization Director Ali-Asghar Mounesan made the remarks in a press conference on Sunday.

The surge is essentially made by growing number of pilgrims and visitors from neighboring countries not by Western nationals.

Last month, CHHTO deputy for tourism Mohammad Moheb-khodaei said visitors from Azerbaijan, Iraq, Afghanistan and Turkey constituted topmost arrivals in the first three months of the current year, adding: “inbound passengers from European countries cut by 24 percent year on year during the same period.”

Under the 2025 Tourism Vision Plan, Iran is expecting to increase its foreign arrivals from 4.8 million in 2014 to 20 million.

PHOTO: People visit the ruins of Persepolis in southern Iran

AFM/MQ/MG