Tourism serves as ‘a bridge between nations’, Rouhani says

Tourism serves as ‘a bridge between nations’, Rouhani says

TEHRAN – President Hassan Rouhani has said tourism and tour guides serve as bridges between nations and links between different cultures and civilizations.

“The era of the building wall between the nations is at an end,” said Rouhani, the opening ceremony of the 17th World Federation of Tourist Guide Associations (WFTGA) Convention in Tehran on Saturday.

“They have forgotten that the Berlin Wall fell a few years ago. If a Wall separates nations, it should be removed,” More news agency quoted Rouhani as I said.

“In the world today, all countries are like neighbors, communication and globalization have shortened distances, and a decoupling of global trade links would not be beneficial to the global economy.”
Highlighting the main role of tourism, the president pointed to tour guides, said: “You as the servants of the cultural heritage, tell the younger generation of the ancient civilization of man and historical works.”

He went on to say that BARJAM (the Persian acronym for the nuclear agreement) paved the way for more foreign tourists to visit Iran. “We are striving to develop our tourism industry by rebuilding our aircraft fleet, expanding the railway network and building highways to increase the flow of tourism.

Tourism is the decisive economic role

Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Organization Director Zahra Ahmadipour reminded that participants were nominated by the World Organization of the United Nations as the “International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development” in 2017.

She said that such an initiative by UNWTO shows that tourism is a key factor that contributes to the lives and lives of people around the world.

Ahmadipour, who doubled as vice president, touched the economic achievements of tourism for the host countries when it comes to generating income, job creation and the redistribution of wealth: “The tourism industry is of great importance as it accounts for 10 percent of the world ‘s population GDP and one of 11 jobs in the world. “

About $ 24 billion came in Iran for the past three and a half years because of foreign tourists, CHTHO deputy director Morteza Rahmani-Movahhed said in September 2016.
Iran expects to reap a bonanza from its numerous tourist points, including 21, which have been placed on the UNESCO World Heritage list after it was agreed to bring back its nuclear program to evade for relief from economic battles in July 2015.

Foreign tourist arrivals in Iran have been more than twice the global average since the implementation of the agreement in January 2016, according to CHTHO in October 2016.

The country has launched extensive plans to strengthen its tourism sector. As part of the 2025 tourism vision, the country plans to increase the number of tourist arrivals from 4.8 million in 2014 to 20 million by 2025.

Iran has also offered to grant years of tax exemption to both domestic and foreign companies and individuals as an incentive to increase investment in their tourism industry.

Until recently, citizens of approximately 190 countries can obtain a visa with a one-month validation upon arrival at the country’s airports.