TEHRAN – First Vice-President Es'haq Jahangiri has said that eco-lodge units that have been damaged by the coronavirus outbreak in the country will be supported. 

He made the remarks in a Tehran meeting on Wednesday, emphasizing on the government’s role in assisting rural and nomadic jobs, ILNA reported.

He also noted that the eco-lodge businesses in rural areas were well activated, but they have been hit by coronavirus pandemic and have stagnated during the quarantine time. 

Earlier this month, the Iranian government announced it will bail out those which are grappling with fiscal problems by offering loans with a 12-percent interest rate. The Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts also suggested a rescue package for tourism businesses.

The government has also allocated a 750-trillion-rial (about $18 billion) package to help low-income households and small- and medium-sized enterprises suffered by the coronavirus concerns.

Optimistic forecasts, however, expect Iran to achieve a tourism boom after coronavirus contained, believing its impact would be temporary and short-lived for a country that ranked the third fastest-growing tourism destination in 2019.

Latest available data show eight million tourists visited the Islamic Republic during the first ten months of the past Iranian calendar year (started March 21, 2019).

ABU/MG