TEHRAN – It is necessary to consider specialized subsidies for the tourism industry, an expert has said.

Tour operators, travel agencies, airlines, and hoteliers would benefit from receiving these subsidies during periods of the seasonal decline in arrivals, IRNA quoted Mohsen Rashnavaz as saying on Sunday.

There are some countries where the tourism industry is professional, and they have methods for paying subsidies that sometimes take the form of incentives for tourism at certain times of the year, he mentioned.

Different travel discount policies are considered for inbound and outbound tourists to encourage them to travel, he added.

However, due to the lower cost of some goods and services than other countries in the world, Iran is considered among the best cheap destinations for foreign tourists, he explained.

In addition to such subsidies, the country needs to develop infrastructure in a bid to accelerate tourism prosperity, he noted.

“The majority of countries that rely on tourism as a source of revenue have created and strengthened all the infrastructure necessary for tourism, including airlines, accommodation and hospitality facilities, visa issuance facilities, reservations, and online payment services.”

Long shunned by Western travelers, the Islamic Republic has steadily stepped-up efforts to use tourism, over the past couple of years, to help promote its international image battered by endless opposition mostly from the U.S.

Experts believe even before the pandemic, Iran’s tourism was already grappling with some challenges, on top of those Western “media propaganda” aimed at scaring potential travelers away from the Islamic Republic. They say Iran is still somehow “unknown” to many potential travelers due to such a “media war.”

Before the COVID pandemic, Iran’s tourism had constantly been growing, reaching more than eight million visitors in the Iranian calendar year 1398 (started March 21, 2019). That surge, however, helped prejudices to become thick and thin.

However, Iran’s trump card is that the country benefits from a wide variety of travel destinations ranging from seacoasts and lush green woods to towering mountains and harsh deserts. As a wallet-friendly destination with hospitable people, Iran has long been a desired destination for nature lovers, birdwatchers, powder chasers, culture devotees, pilgrims, museum-goers, foodies, adventurers, and medical travelers, to name a few.

Mass COVID-19 vaccinations, consecutive fam tours for foreign tour operators, easing travel procedures, and fresh strategies, altogether, suggest Iran is determined to experience a tourism rebound with a greater reliance on its numerous tourist spots of which 26 are UNESCO World Heritage, above all, its welcoming people.

ABU/AM