TEHRAN–In the upcoming foreign tourism fairs, Iran attempts to present the country’s capabilities and potential in the field of tourism to the world, the head of a parent company for the development of Iran tourism has said.

“By participating in JATA Tourism Expo Japan and IFTM Top Resa Paris, Iran hopes to showcase its tourism infrastructure, attractions, and capacities to the world under the slogan‘Iran with Glory’”, IRNA quoted Ruhollah Hosseinzadeh as saying on Monday.

Approximately 150 countries will attend each tourism fair, which is a great opportunity to promote Iran as a tourist destination, he added.

As compared to the past, new content has been created in several new sections to showcase Iran’s tourism, culture, and handicrafts and these three areas will be introduced at the fairs with the help of knowledge-based companies, he mentioned.

There is a policy of Iranophobia that hampers the development of Iranian tourism, and some countries, even neighboring ones, have little knowledge of Iran, he noted.

Therefore, Iran’s participation in international exhibitions to strengthen cultural diplomacy is very effective in developing tourism relations, the official noted.

JATA Tourism Expo Japan will be held in the Tokyo International Exhibition Center from September 22 to 25.

A selection of Iranian travel experts, tour operators, exhibitors, and craftspeople will run the country’s pavilion at the four-day international fair.

According to organizers, JATA seeks to promote domestic, overseas, and inbound tourism. “Attracting over 150,000 visitors annually (from travel agents to tour operators and embassies), it is an absolute must for all the professionals in the sector.”

Furthermore, the event offers seminars, debates, a trade fair (with exhibitors from over 150 countries and regions), and great business opportunities.

IFTM TOP RESA will be held in Paris from September 20 to 22.

Founded in 1978, IFTM Top Resa is a multi-purpose trade show for tourism and travel, covering all travel reasons: Business, Leisure, Groups, and MICE.

A relatively hidden gem and a backpacker’s dream, Iran holds vast potential as a holiday destination with stunning landscapes, numerous World Heritage sites, and above all, its hospitable people.

The country is often portrayed as “one of the safest to travel” by most visitors who experienced it, particularly solo female travelers and families, and Lonely Planet calls its people the “friendliest in the world.”

Filled from corner to corner with ancient bazaars, museums, mosques, monuments, gardens, historical sites, and rich natural, rural landscapes, Iran hosts some of the world’s oldest cultural monuments, including 26 UNESCO World Heritage sites.

The Islamic Republic expects to reap a bonanza from its numerous tourist spots such as bazaars, museums, mosques, bridges, bathhouses, madrasas, mausoleums, churches, towers, and mansions, of which 26 are inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list. Under the 2025 Tourism Vision Plan, Iran aims to increase the number of tourist arrivals from 4.8 million in 2014 to 20 million in 2025.

ABU/AM