TEHRAN - The number of Chinese arrivals in Iran has increased as of late June since the country allowed visa-free entry for visitors from China, deputy tourism minister has said.

“Monthly observations show that Chinese arrivals in Iran experiencing a rise since Iran officially waived visa requirements for Chinese nationals,” Vali Teymouri said on Saturday, ISNA reported.

“Some 14,000 Chinese nationals visited Iran during the [Iranian] months of Mordad, Shahrivar and Mehr (July 23 – October 22), which shows 12 percent growth year on year.”

The ancient land welcomed some 13,000 Chinese people during the same period last year, the official noted.

“Chinese travels to the Islamic Republic slumped after the U.S. [in May 2018] pulled out from the nuclear deal (known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action) but the situation changed after Iran [unilaterally] abolished visas for the Chinese,” the official explained. 

So far, some 100 Iranian agencies have announced their readiness to cooperate in this regard, Teymouri said, adding “Given the volume of demand, we hope that a good link to be built between the private and tourism sectors of the two countries.”

Last November, the Trump administration reinstated sanctions on Iran, mainly the ones that had been lifted under the 2015 nuclear deal, in order to batter Iran’s economy, however, according to official data, they have so far failed to lessen foreign arrivals to the Islamic Republic because the country does its best to attract more from neighboring states.

Iran welcomed some four million foreign nationals during the first five months of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21 – August 22), which shows 30 percent hike, compared with the same period last year, according to official data compiled by the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts.

Under the 2025 Tourism Vision Plan, the country aims to increase the number of tourist arrivals from 4.8 million in 2014 to 20 million in 2025.

AFM/MG