TEHRAN - Iran hosted over 3.1 million foreign tourists in the first half of 2024, a 37% drop compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019, according to upgraded figures from the UN Tourism.Statistics launched by the UNs tourist arm show that Iran invited 3,129,449 global visitors in between January and June 2024, with variations in month-to-month arrivals.January recorded 494,696 visitors, February 506,313, March 396,772, April 497,469, May 443,282, and June saw the greatest influx with 790,917 tourists.This marks an enhancement compared to 2023 when less than 3 million tourists entered Iran in the very first 7 months.
The data does not define the nationalities of the travelers.Irans Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts has noted that the reported figures include Iranian expatriates visiting for tourist purposes.
Authorities have actually emphasized that increasing the increase of foreign travelers is vital for economic recovery and the advancement of the sector.The decline in foreign arrivals underscores the remaining impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Irans tourist sector.
While international tourist was forecasted to completely recover by the end of 2024, with global travel reaching 98% of pre-pandemic levels, Iran continued to deal with obstacles in regaining its pre-2019 momentum.Globally, the first nine months of 2024 saw around 1.1 billion global tourists, with the Middle East leading development at a 29% boost compared to 2019.
Europe and Africa have actually also gone beyond pre-pandemic levels, while Asia-Pacific, like Iran, continues to recover gradually.Iran looks for tourist boostLast month, Irans Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts, Seyyed Reza Salehi-Amiri, revealed ongoing conversations with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs aimed at eliminating challenges to global tourist in the country.Salehi-Amiri stressed the significance of remedying global understandings about Iran, which he highlighted have actually been stained by false narratives spread out by particular media outlets.Cultural heritage is our identity and a rich treasure, however it has actually not been adequately presented to the more youthful generations, he stated, stressing the need for youth to take pride in Irans historical and civilizational capacity.Moreover, the minister revealed strategies to release traveler cards for foreign visitors to facilitate currency exchange during their stay.
He contacted the Central Bank of Iran to deal with these problems as part of more comprehensive efforts to improve the sector.Referring to over 2,700 tourism projects under development nationwide, Salehi-Amiri urged the federal government to streamline administrative processes, eliminate inadequacies, and boost infrastructure to bring in investors.The minister further worried the importance of global collaborations, participation in international exhibitions, and targeted marketing to counter unfavorable stereotypes about Iran and present a genuine picture of the nation to potential visitors.The Islamic Republic expects to reap a treasure trove from its various traveler areas such as marketplaces, museums, mosques, bridges, bathhouses, madrasas, mausoleums, churches, towers, and estates, of which 28 are inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list.AM