TEHRAN –Iran’s deputy tourism minister Ali Darabi and China’s Vice Minister for Culture and Tourism Li Qun met in Beijing on Monday. 

Ways to expand tourism and cultural heritage relations between the two countries were discussed during the meeting, IRNA reported. 

Iranian-Chinese relations have a long history believed to be developed by the means of the Silk Road…  and it has remained stable to this day, Darabi said. 

As tourism interactions and cooperation between the two nations increase, many other work areas will also benefit, he added. 

For his part, Li said that there should be a greater level of cooperation between Iran and China since both countries have ancient and historical civilizations. 

The Islamic Republic’s readiness to host an exhibition of Chinese museum objects in Iran is also appreciated, as such events can enhance cultural diplomacy, he mentioned. 

Last week, Iran’s deputy tourism minister Ali-Asghar Shalbafian announced that tourism relations between Iran and China are to be strengthened and facilitated by the governments of both countries.

In addition to their many similarities, the people of Iran and China have a long history of relations dating back 2500 years, he said.

They have been in touch since ancient times, as the Silk Road has served as a symbol of cooperation between the two countries, and now, the governments of the two countries are attempting to strengthen their relations, he added.

As part of its efforts to increase the number of tourists from China, the Iranian government has always been concerned with facilitating the entry of tourists, he noted.

In this regard, the Iranian government has voluntarily exempted Chinese tourists from visa requirements, he mentioned.

Home to one of the world’s oldest continuous major civilizations, with historical and urban settlements dating back to 7000 BC, Iran seeks to attract more foreign travelers, and in particular, vacationers from China.

In 2020, Tehran’s ex-ambassador to Beijing said Iran was seeking to become a tourist destination for millions of potential travelers from China as the two countries are working on a 25-year comprehensive cooperation plan that includes boosting relations in the field of tourism.

Speaking in the TV program, Mehdi Safari reminded some 200 million Chinese tourists to visit different countries annually, adding “According to this agreement Iran will become one of the tourist destinations for Chinese travelers so that Iran can attract one to two million Chinese tourists to the country.”

“This will create a transformation in Iran’s tourism industry and will create jobs and a large market for the handicrafts industry of the country,” he expanded.

Although the Islamic Republic waived the visa requirement for Chinese nationals willing to visit the country in 2019, it was a unilateral measure, because Iranian tourists visiting China still need visas.

Under the 2025 Tourism Vision Plan, Iran is expecting to increase the number of tourism arrivals from 4.8 million in 2014 to 20 million by 2025.

ABU/ AM