BAKU, Azerbaijan, Dec. 28
By Elnur Baghishov – Trend:
As many as 2,000 projects are being implemented in Iran’s tourism sector, said Iranian Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Ali Asghar Mounesan told journalists, Trend reports citing IRNA.
The minister stressed that the value of these projects is 1.37 quadrillion rials (about $32.6 billion).
Mounesan added that 320 facilities will be put into operation on cultural heritage sector soon.
“The value of Iran's annual export in handicrafts sector is $600,000. It is possible to increase this figure to $1 million in the first stage and to $2 million in the second stage,” he said.
Mounesan also noted that a total of 2.2 trillion rials (about $52.4 billion) has been invested in Iran’s tourism sector during the current Iranian government (the current Iranian government has been in power since 2013).
According to the minister, before the spread of the coronavirus pandemic in 2019, Iran ranked second in the world in the development of tourism. Thus, the number of foreign tourists visiting Iran has increased to 8 million people. It is hoped that Iran's tourism sector will grow after the coronavirus problem is resolved.