TEHRAN—Foreign tourist arrivals in Iran reached some 2.93 million between January and July 2023, according to the latest United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) World Tourism Barometer.

Although the country’s performance as a tourism destination is still far below that of 2019, which was before the start of the Covid pandemic, it is improving slightly compared to last year's statistics, ISNA reported on Wednesday.

The average statistics of Iran’s tourism from January to August 2023 is 50% lower than the same period in 2019 based on the barometer that tracks the sector’s post-pandemic recovery over the course of 2023 up to the end of July.

Accordingly, Iran attracted 181,423 foreign travelers in January; 327, 816 people in February; 363,547 in March; 381.769 in April, 537,837 in May; 551.142 in June; and 590, 350 in July. 

Another statistic compiled by Iran’s tourism ministry indicates the country saw 3.35 million tourist arrivals in the first half of the current Iranian calendar year (started March 21), which soars 38 percent year on year.

The rate of tourist arrivals, mainly from Iran’s neighboring countries, has been “promising”, according to Ali-Asghar Shalbafian, who is the deputy tourism minister.

“The course of attracting inbound passengers was promising so that from the first of the year to end of Shahrivar, three million and 354 thousand travelers entered the country, which shows a growth of 38% compared to a year earlier,” Shalbafian said in a press conference last week.

He probably hinted at the country’s tourism revival as coronavirus restrictions have been eased, but remained way below pre-pandemic levels.

The Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts, in close collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, seeks a border-easing strategy based on which it may unilaterally drop visa requirements for passport holders of 60 states, the official noted. The scheme recommends unilateral cancellation of visas with Muslim countries and neighboring states to increase international arrivals, the official said.

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 27 are inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

AFM