TEHRAN—The Iranian government is ready to boost ties with India in the tourism sector, the Iranian deputy tourism minister Ali-Asghar Shalbafian has said.

He made the remarks during a meeting with Iranian ambassador to India Iraj Elahi in Tehran on Wednesday, Borna reported.

“There are plans and a strong desire to enhance tourism ties between Iran and India,” the official said.

Holding joint tourism events, organizing and participating in tourism fairs of the two countries, and holding B2B meetings are on the agenda, Shalbafian added.

Promoting Iran’s tourist attractions by bloggers, influencers, and the private sector’s activists as well as Iran’s embassy and cultural offices are also parts of the plans, he mentioned.

Last year, the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts announced that tourism in the country was growing before the corona outbreak, its revenues reached $11.7 billion in 2019, which accounted for 2.8% of GDP, nearing the average share of tourism in the world GDP, which was 3.2 percent.

Iran was ranked as the second fastest-growing country in tourism based on data compiled by the World Tourism Organization.

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

Iran seeks to reap a bonanza from its numerous tourist spots such as bazaars, museums, mosques, bridges, bathhouses, madrasas, mausoleums, churches, towers, and mansions, of which 26 are inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list. 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.

ABU/AM