TEHRAN –People who would go on a trip during the Noruz holidays, which begins on Saturday, will be strictly supervised by the committee of travel services coordination, the deputy tourism minister has said. 

The committee, which includes members from the tourism and health ministries as well as the police personnel, will monitor the implementation of the health protocols by the tourists and travelers during the holiday, IRNA quoted Vali Teymouri as saying on Tuesday. 

As people have been prevented from traveling for more than a year due to the outbreak of the coronavirus, it has been decided to ease the travel restrictions to improve society’s vitality, the official added. 

However, following strict health protocols on the way and in the destinations is necessary and will be monitored, he noted. 
 
Earlier this week, the Transport and Urban Development Minister Mohammad Eslami announced that no ban on Noruz travels has been imposed for people who would use public transport. 

Earlier this month, President Hassan Rouhani declared new travel bans for cities situated in the “red” and “orange” zones to combat the new COVID-19 variant. Rouhani called on people to avoid traveling during the Iranian New Year holidays to help contain the spread of coronavirus. He said it would be forbidden to make trips to cities marked as “red” and “orange” in terms of the prevalence of COVID-19.

“We request people to avoid traveling during Noruz holidays for the sake of their own health… It will be forbidden to travel to red and orange towns and cities,” he said. “No one should make any plans to travel to these cities,” he stressed.

Late in February, the tourism minister, Ali-Asghar Mounesan, said despite all the obstacles and issues and the outbreak of the coronavirus, the country’s tourism sector is still alive and dynamic. 

Noruz ceremonies and trips, if practiced under health protocols, could be beneficial for the revival of the tourism industry and handicrafts, which have been severely affected by the coronavirus pandemic in many provinces, the minister explained.

Iranians traditionally make hundreds of thousands of domestic trips during the New Year holidays, when most businesses and workplaces are closed, as are schools.

ABU/AFM