TEHRAN– Iran and Egypt have agreed to extend mutual tourism as they are on track to restore diplomatic relations and reopen their respective embassies.

Tehran and Cairo hope to draw a roadmap for their tourism collaborations later this month as part of ongoing efforts to normalize relations between the two nations, The National reported.

According to Egyptian sources, a delegation from Egypt's Tourism and Antiquities Ministry was due to travel to Tehran to finalize details with their Iranian counterparts.

A new Egyptian tour operator is to be established aimed at being solely responsible for handling Iranian tourists, the report said.

Based on initial arrangements, Iranians will be allowed to visit Egypt on organized tours of the Red Sea resorts in the southern region of the Sinai Peninsula.

In addition, further agreements may be reached for Iranian travelers to extend their visits to religious temples in Egypt.

To buttress tourism, direct flights between Iran and Egypt will be resumed in the coming weeks if a detailed agreement is reached. Moreover, it is discussed that Iranian tourists will be offered entry visas upon arrival in Egypt.

In addition to helping to normalize relations, attracting Iranian tourists will provide financial benefits to Egypt, which is grappling with an economic crisis in part as a result of the Russian-Ukraine war, the report said.

Officials from Cairo and Tehran have recently held several rounds of talks in Baghdad to discuss normalizing relations, which soured following Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Iran expects 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, the Islamic has targeted to surge its foreign arrivals from 4.8 million in 2014 to 20 million in 2025.

AFM