Tehran, Nov 18, IRNA- Deputy Minister of Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Vali Teymouri on Monday referred to ineffectiveness of Iranophobia and said that the inbound tourists has been increased in the first seven months of the current Iranian calendar year.

During the distribution of 90,000 promotional materials to 30 countries of the world, we have witnessed a 52.5% increase in the arrival of foreign tourists over the past year and over the first six months of this current Iranian year (starting on March 21) compared to the corresponding period last year, he said.

We have also registered more than a 24% increase in incoming tourists ignoring current shortage in budget and credit, he said. 

The official pointed out that the biggest tourism challenge of the country in the international dimension is that Iran is unknown for the foreign tourists, adding that in the past 20 years the main challenge of our tourism industry at international level is that Iran is not known, and recently Iranphobia has been added to the project, and our enemies are masterminding plots against the country.

Teymouri highlighted that at the international level, Iran's biggest tourism challenge now is to confront Iranophobia. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has plans in place and we will not neglect the capacities of the Organization of Culture and Islamic Relations.

Deputy Minister of Tourism also added that currently tourism and diplomacy packages have been prepared which will be sent to different countries for further familiarization with Iran, and in this regard, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will cooperate.

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