TEHRAN – The number of European tourists visiting Iran has decreased, whereas more Chinese and Russian tourists are flocking to the country, a tourism expert has said. 

Although the number of Chinese and Russian tourists visiting Iran has risen significantly, the country has witnessed a decrease in the number of European tourists, ILNA quoted Hormatollah Rafiei as saying on Saturday.

The current situation regarding tourists entering the country is not ideal, but it is not necessarily negative either, the expert added.

Every month, Iran welcomes around 300,000 to 400,000 foreign tourists, with a notable majority hailing from Arab countries, specifically Iraq, he noted. 

In addition to Iraqi tourists, there are also visitors from Oman and some countries in the Persian Gulf, he explained.

Moreover, the number of tourists visiting Iran from Afghanistan has been on the rise, along with an increase in the number of flights operating between the two neighboring nations. 

Iran’s tourism industry is experiencing a shift in the way Afghan tourists approach their visits as recently, luxury Afghan tourists have been arriving in Iran with a fresh perspective, vastly different from the past. 

These tourists not only come to Iran for medical purposes but also to explore the country before heading to the West or returning to their home country. 

The demand for flights from Afghanistan to Iran is consistently high, as approximately nine to ten flights per week are always completely booked.

However, Iran must make a greater effort to attract a larger number of international tourists to the country.

Long shunned by Western travelers, the Islamic Republic has steadily stepped-up efforts to use tourism, over the past couple of years, to help promote its international image battered by endless opposition mostly from the U.S.

Experts believe even before the pandemic, Iran’s tourism was already grappling with some challenges, on top of those Western “media propaganda” aimed at scaring potential travelers away from the Islamic Republic. They say Iran is still somehow “unknown” to many potential travelers due to such a “media war.”

Before the COVID pandemic, Iran's tourism had constantly been growing, reaching more than eight million visitors in the Iranian calendar year 1398 (started March 21, 2019). That surge, however, helped prejudices to become thick and thin.

However, Iran’s trump card is that the country benefits from a wide variety of travel destinations ranging from seacoasts and lush green woods to towering mountains and harsh deserts. As a wallet-friendly destination with hospitable people, Iran has long been a desired destination for nature lovers, birdwatchers, powder chasers, culture devotees, pilgrims, museum-goers, foodies, adventurers, and medical travelers, to name a few.

ABU/AM