Expert: Iran can become one of main destinations for tourists from  Armenia

ArmInfo. I Iran can become one of main destinations for tourists from Armenia. A well-known Armenian economist Suren Parsyan adheres to a similar point of view.

As the Expert notes on his Facebook page: <I was in Tehran on a  one-week visit at the invitation of the Iranian side. This was my  second trip to one of the largest countries in the Middle East, with  which Armenia has a millennia history and land connection.  In  Tehran, I had the opportunity to get acquainted with the history,  culture, tourism, and other branches of the economy of Iran close up.  During the visit, I had the honor of participating in the 16th  International Tourism and Related Industries Exhibition held in  Tehran on February 7-10, during which the provinces of the Islamic  Republic of Iran [(IRI)] individually presented their attractions,  hotel facilities, entertainment facilities, cultural heritage,  customs, souvenirs, etc.

It is noteworthy that the signs and booklets of some Iranian  companies representing Tabriz also contained Armenian information,  clearly pointing out and highlighting the Armenian cultural heritage  and diaspora of that region.

It should be noted that the Armenian cultural heritage in Iran is  always under the care of the state, which further increases Iran's  tourism potential and makes it even more interesting. It can become  one of the best examples in the world of how it is possible to  present and preserve Islamic and Christian cultural heritages side by  side. The centers of Iranian culture and tourism are Shiraz, Qazvin,  Tabriz, Kerman, Isfahan, Gom, Sanandaj, Khorasan, etc.

International Tourism and Related Industries Exhibition is organized  on a regular basis. It is an effective platform for finding new  partners, sharing experience and evaluating trends in the general  tourism sector, to which Armenian tourism companies should also be  invited (actively participate). Within the framework of the  exhibition, Iran's Minister of Tourism Ezatullah Zarghami met with  experts from Armenia at the invitation of the IRI Ministry of  Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts and the 'Iran-Armenian  Friendship Association' NGO.

It is noteworthy that 116,430 tourists from the IRI arrived in  Armenia in 2022, which is 27.5 percent more than last year. Although  the total number of tourists departing from Armenia increased by 2.6  times during 2022, the tourist flows of Armenia to the IRI are very  small, which is mainly due to the lack of and sometimes incorrect  information about Iran, the passivity of Iranian and Armenian travel  companies, and other circumstances.

However, in recent years, Kish (in Hormozgan Province), a small  Iranian island in the Persian Gulf, has become a new and active  tourist destination for Armenian tourists. It is one of the largest  and most famous beach resorts in Iran and the Persian Gulf. The  entire territory of the island is a free economic zone where you can  buy goods of various importance at very affordable prices.

Cheap airline tickets can contribute to the growth of tourist flows  [from Armenia] to Iran. I should mention that Armenian and Iranian  airlines have several regular flights a week.

The IRI implements its foreign policy on the principles of dignity,  wisdom and expediency, which allows developing and expanding  Armenian-Iranian trade and economic ties in all directions.

Armenian-Iranian political-economic relations have not been and  cannot be to the detriment of third countries; Armenia and Iran have  no alternative for development.

It should be emphasized that currently in this region; Iran is the  only country that conducts a policy of stabilization, prevention of  new conflicts, which is also in the interests of Armenia," Parsyan  stressed.