TEHRAN –Iran’s low prices give it a competitive edge in attracting foreign tourists, the Head of the Iranian Tour Operators has said.

“By offering lower-cost travel packages than other neighboring countries, Iran can remain competitive in the global tourism market and become a [special destination for foreign tourists,” Ebrahim Pourfaraj explained on Saturday, ILNA reported. 

Many people are now looking for the best travel conditions and the lowest prices since the world economy is undergoing turmoil due to the coronavirus outbreak and many people have lost their jobs, the expert added. 

Iran is now in a privileged position to capture some of the region’s tourism market with reasonable offers, he noted. 

To compensate for two years of a slump in the tourism market, hoteliers and other sectors in the tourism industry may wish to raise prices all at once, without considering the development of an incoming tourism market, he mentioned. 

However, it’s possible to compensate for these damages by increasing the number of incoming tourists to the country and their duration of stay, he said. 

“Since there were no entry tours during the pandemic, and given that tourist visas have been issued for a few months now, we have just begun our negotiations with foreign tour operators.”

This year [the lunar month of] Ramadan coincides with the peak travel season and it may have an effect on the number of passengers, he said and added, “However, the holy month is also part of Iranian culture, and one of the goals of tourists who travel to Iran is to experience Iranian customs and culture.”

Back in November, the official said that the restoration of tourism flow to the country is very important for Iranian tour operators and travel insiders.

Furthermore, Pourfaraj said that the Islamic Republic must rebuild trust with the global tourism market, referring to the high levels of health security and vaccination that the country has achieved against the coronavirus.  

He said some of his colleagues have commenced talks in various tourism fields with target markets of China, Japan, Russia, and some European countries.

As mentioned by Pourfaraj, Iran has made its best to maintain contact with global tourism markets and companies that worked with Iran in the past, especially since virtual communication and meetings have thrived.

Some experts believe Iran is still somehow “unknown” for many potential travelers due to Western “media war”. Several estimates have been released so far on the extent of the tourism-related losses incurred by the pandemic.

According to the data compiled by the tourism ministry, the tourism of the country was growing before the corona outbreak, its revenues reached $11.7 billion in 2019, which accounted for 2.8% of GDP, nearing the average share of tourism in the world GDP, which was 3.2 percent. Some 8.7 million foreign nationals visited Iran during the Iranian year (1398) and Iran was ranked as the second fastest-growing country in tourism based on data compiled by the World Tourism Organization.

Iran is potentially a booming destination for travelers seeking cultural attractions, breathtaking sceneries, and numerous UNESCO-registered sites.

ABU/ AFM