Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 18
By Fatih Karimov - Trend: Iran plans to expand hotels in the vicinity of airports to promote air transport.
Iranian roads and urban development minister Abbas Akhoundi meet French hotels group Accor Chief Executive Sébastien Bazin in Tehran, saying that Iran plans to upgrade its aviation fleet and establish hotels near international airports, Iran's Roads and Urban Development Ministry's website reported.
The move will flourish air transport at large airports of the country in the cities of Mashhad, Tabriz, Isfahan, Shiraz, and other cities, Akhoundi said.
"The high inclination of Iranian families to tourism and the removal of sanctions against the country have turned Iran into a tourist spot for foreign travelers. So, the need for building hotels in the country is felt."
AccorHotels has signed a contract with Iran to open two new hotels near Tehran 's Imam Khomeini International Airport. According to the contract signed on Sept. 15, Iran handed over the management of two four and five star hotels of the airport to the French AccorHotels group.
The company plans to open an Ibis hotel and a Novotel branch near the international airport. The hotels are scheduled to open for business on Oct. 15, with a total of nearly 500 rooms. Aimed at both international and Iranian business travelers, they will be equipped with meeting rooms, conference spaces and spas, fitness suites and swimming pools.
AccorHotels is the world's sixth-largest hotel group.
Edited by CN