BAKU, Azerbaijan, Nov. 23
By Elnur Baghishov - Trend:
The abolition of visas shows an increase in the number of tourists coming to Iran, Iran’s Deputy Minister of Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Vali Teymouri said, Trend reports with reference to Fars news agency.
Teymouri said that Iran has abolished visas for Azerbaijani citizens several years ago (in 2015). As a result, the number of tourists coming from Azerbaijan to Iran has increased by 100 times, the deputy minister added.
Teymouri said that this was also the case with Oman and the number of tourists coming from that country increased.
The deputy minister noted that the number of Chinese tourists decreased due to US sanctions. However, the number of tourists from China increased four months after the visa was unilaterally abolished, Teymouri said.
“The issue of cancellation of visas for group travel between Iran and Russia has been finalized and an agreement will be signed soon,” the deputy minister added.
Teymouri said that during the seven months (March 21 - September 22) of this Iranian year (began March 21, 2019), the number of tourists arriving in Iran was 6 million and each tourist spent an average of $1,485.
Iran’s tourism revenues were $8.9 billion, the deputy minister noted.
“However, last Iranian year (March 21, 2018 - March 21, 2019), 7.8 million tourists visited Iran,” Teymouri said.