TEHRAN – In an effort to deepen tourism ties, travel insiders and tour operators from Iraqi Kurdistan attended several meetings with their Iranian counterparts, CHTN reported on Friday. 

Last week, the delegation traveled to Iran to attend the 15th Tehran International Tourism Exhibition and participated in several meetings on the sidelines of the event.

Meetings were held to discuss how to boost reciprocal tourism, especially medical tourism in the western provinces of Iran for potential Iraqi health tourists.

In addition to meetings with Iranian travel insiders, the delegation also had B2B meetings with counterparts from Pakistan and Iraq to promote tourism.

Last week, Mehr reported that some 1.47m foreign nationals visited Iran from the beginning of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21, 2021) to January 1, a span most of which was subject to severe travel bans due to coronavirus.

Of the number, 635, 862 foreign nationals arrived in Iran as of mid-October when the Islamic Republic started issuance of tourist visas after a 20-month hiatus, the report added.

Citizens from Iraq and Afghanistan were the main source of tourism for Iran from October 23 to December 22, 2021.

Last September, Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Minister Ezzatollah Zarghami announced that by the order of President Ebrahim Raisi the issuance of tourist visas and the flow of foreign tourists from land and air borders will be resumed from the month of Aban (Oct. 23 – Nov. 21) following 19 months of suspension.

Some experts believe that medical tourism in Iran is a win-win opportunity both for the country and foreign patients, as they are offered affordable yet quality treatment services and the country gains considerable foreign currency.

The Islamic Republic has set its goals to exceed its yearly medical travelers to around 2 million in the Iranian calendar year 1404.

ABU/AFM