Speaking during a ceremony to ink a deal with France’s Accor Hotels, Masoud Soltanifar added that based on Vision 2025, Iran should host 20 million foreign tourists annually to generate revenues in the range of $25 billion to $30 billion, according to Iran Daily.
“We should create proper conditions for tourism industry using domestic potentials.”
He said good steps have been taken to increase the number of four- and five-star hotels. “Currently, we have 1,100 hotels, of which 12 percent are four- or five-star hotels.”
He put the number of four- and five-star hotels at 130, adding the figure should increase to 400 by 2025.
In spite of Western sanctions, many domestic and foreign investors particularly Muslim investors from Persian Gulf littoral states have started to construct five-star hotels in Iran, he added.
Currently, 125 four- and five-star hotels have recorded a physical progress of between five and 90 percent, he noted.
“Undoubtedly, establishment of international chain hotels will create proper conditions for foreign tourists to visit Iran and help improve tourism services.”
Soltanifar said expansion of Imam Khomeini International Airport (IKIA) is a must.
Airports and hotels play a great role in development of tourism industries of countries, he added.
According to a report presented by Ministry of Road and Urban Construction, Salam Terminal will be inaugurated at IKIA next year doubling the capacity of the airport, he said.
He continued that with the construction of Iranshahr Terminal and expansion of second phase of IKIA, the airport would handle 20 million passengers annually. He hoped that the terminal would be inaugurated within five years.
A consortium of banks including Bank Gardeshgari, Pasargad, and Ghadir Investment Company have declared their readiness to expand the second phase and third terminal of IKIA, he said.
Meanwhile, Mehdi Jahangiri, managing director of Iran Cultural Heritage and Tourism Investment Corporation, said some 2.6 trillion rials ($86.6 million) has been invested for establishing four- and five-star hotels at IKIA.
He added that the private sector should become more involved in the tourism industry, particularly hoteliering.
Jahangiri said Iran Cultural Heritage and Tourism Investment Corporation managed to establish two hotels at IKIA within 3½ years.
“Fortunately, good stability exists in the post-sanction era. Therefore, many overseas investors are eager to invest in Iran’s tourism industry.”
He said cooperation between Iranian hotels and French hoteliering group is a good measure in tourism industry.
Iran is among the world’s top potential tourist destinations with a treasure trove of ancient sites, including 17 sites registered on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
The country has a very distinct and superior position for attracting tourists. Favorite fields for tourists are bountiful in Iran. They include a beautiful nature with its unique climatic and weather features, educated population with an ancient civilization and customs as well as its very old sides with splendid architecture.
Expansion of Iran’s tourism industry is tied to improving tourism infrastructures.
According to a group of leading experts in tourism, every tourist entering Iran could bring in revenues equaling the export of dozens of barrels of oil.
Tourism is now viewed as the third largest industry in the world in terms of revenue generation and turnover after oil and auto industries. According to recent World Tourism Organization figures, the industry will grow and by 2020, it will compete with oil as the biggest hard currency earner.
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Tehran, Sept 17, IRNA – Iran Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization (ICHHTO) has drawn up a $25-billion investment package which will cover 1,300 projects, said the organization’s head.
