TEHRAN – Iran and Venezuela have explored avenues to deepen tourism relations, especially through simplifying visa rules, launching fam tours, and setting up exhibits.

Iranian Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts Minister Ali-Asghar Mounesan exchanged views with Venezuelan Minister for Tourism and Foreign Trade, Felix Plasencia, in a video conference on Thursday, reaching agreement to sign a memorandum of understanding in a bid to broaden bilateral ties.

“The biggest problem is that the travel agencies of Iran and Venezuela are not familiar with the capacities of the two countries, Mounesan said, adding, “My suggestion is to hold B2B meetings with the presence of the agencies of the two sides on the sidelines of the signing of the memorandum, and in the continuation of this route, we will plan to hold introductory tours to introduce the capacities and attractions of the two nations.”

He said over 8.8 million foreign travelers arrived in the Islamic Republic during the past [Iranian calendar] year (March 2019-March 2020), so that the country was named the world's second fastest-growing tourist destination by the United Nations World Tourism Organization.

Iran’s earnings from tourism contributed $11.8b to its gross domestic product (GDP) in 2019, Mounesan added.

Plasencia, for his part, said “Through exchanging experience, and signing a bilateral memorandum, we can strengthen tourism between the two countries based on our common strategies and goals.”

“Also, the cooperation of the private sector of the two countries can bring good results in this field.”

Elsewhere in his remarks, Mounesan said that Iran has previously waived visas for Omani and Chinese passport holders, adding that Iran and Venezuela can consider mutual visa simplification rules to deepen travel exchange.

“I will be arriving in Russia in the next few days to [sign an agreement] for waive visas for group travel tours….. and the same can be worked out between Tehran and Caracas…. I am sure that with the help of the ambassadors of the two countries and the introduction of the tourism capacities of the two, tourism between Iran and Venezuela will flourish.”

AFM/MG