TEHRAN – Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (ICCIMA) will host an international seminar on incoming tourism in Tehran on February 25.

“We have invited representatives of 34 chambers of commerce form across the globe including China, Russia, Turkey, Belgium, Oman, Qatar, India and Kuwait to attend the event,” Akbar Abdolmaleki, ICCIMA director for tourism, said on Wednesday, ISNA reported.

Abdolmaleki made the remarks during his visit to the 13th Tehran International Tourism Exhibition, saying, “This year, Iran’s tourism fair is [far more] remarkable, showing that tourism in Iran is alive and breathing.”

The event will be the chamber’s 1st professional seminar on incoming tourism, according to organizers.

Iran was ranked the third fastest-growing tourism destination in the globe in 2019, with 27.9 percent growth year on year, according to the latest statistics released by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).

Some eight million foreign nationals have visited Iran since the beginning of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21, 2019) despite [U.S.] sanctions and a sharp decline in flights by some foreign airlines, tourism minister Ali-Asghar Mounesan announced earlier this month.

The country welcomed some 7.8 million foreign nationals last year, an increase of 52.5 percent year on year.

AFM/MG