TEHRAN – A group of nine French travelers has commenced its two-week journey across Iran as the Islamic Republic reopened its borders to international travelers last month.

The group that arrived in Iran on Sunday is scheduled to visit travel destinations in Tehran, Hamedan, Kermanshah, Ahvaz, Shiraz, Yazd, and Isfahan, Mehr reported. 

Moreover, several Russian travel agents and tour operators arrived in the country earlier this month for a week-long familiarization tour.

As mentioned by the UNWTO Barometer, most international destinations reporting data for June and July 2021 saw a moderate rebound in international arrivals compared to 2020. Nevertheless, 2021 continues to be a challenging year for global tourism, with international arrivals down 80% in January-July compared to 2019. Asia and the Pacific continued to suffer the weakest results in the period January to July, with a 95% drop in international arrivals compared to 2019.

“West Asia (-82%) recorded the second-largest decline, followed by Europe and Africa (both -77%). The Americas (-68%) saw a comparatively smaller decrease, with the Caribbean showing the best performance among world subregions. Meanwhile, some small islands in the Caribbean, Africa, and Asia and the Pacific, together with a few small European destinations recorded the best performance in June and July, with arrivals close to, or sometimes exceeding pre-pandemic levels.”

Iran is potentially a booming destination for travelers seeking cultural attractions, breathtaking sceneries, and numerous UNESCO-registered sites. 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.

AFM