TEHRAN – Iran will establish three tourism offices in China by the end of 2016, Iran’s tourism chief Masoud Soltanifar said in an interview with the China Central Television, CCTV.

The offices will introduce Iranian tourist attractions to Chinese people and offer vacation packages to those who want to travel to the country, he explained.

“Iran is a safe country in an unsecured region and is introduced as one of the most important tourism destination thanks to its historical, cultural, natural, and religious attractions,” he added.

Less than 50,000 Chinese travel to Iran on average per year, which should be increased in coming years, Soltanifar remarked.

“Iran plans to provide suitable facilities and infrastructures for Chinese tourists including increasing Chinese restaurants, translators and facilitating the process for issuing visa for both countries,” he announced.

He also pointed to the limited number of direct flights between Iran and China, saying that it should be increased in the future.

Iran and China presidents will sign an agreement in the field of tourism in the near future as well, Soltanifar said.

“Iran, China, and India are the three major producers of handicraft in the world. I believe that Iran and China can boost relations in the field of handicraft as well,” Soltanifar concluded.

With the end to economic sanctions against Iran after the international agreement on its nuclear program, the country is opening in many areas, particularly in the area of tourism, so far virtually non-existent.

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