TEHRAN – Iran’s Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization plans to form a think tank to jumpstart tourism sector across the ancient land, CHHTO deputy director said on Tuesday.

“The Organization, as trustee of the country’s tourism sector, has to exploit potential of creative and innovative people to develop the sector. In this regard, based on the predictions made, we aim to make the best use of travel-associated experts by establishing a think tank and opening the door to intellectuals,” Vali Teymouri said, CHTN reported.  

“Through establishing the think tank, we are pursuing to develop such structures based on which we would be able to connect the sector to universities and the market.”

International travelers spent some $11.8 billion in the Islamic Republic over the past Iranian calendar year 1397 (ended March 20), based on data compiled by the CHHTO.

The number of international tourists visiting Iran surged 52.5 percent in the past Iranian calendar year 1397 from a year earlier.

Iran hosts a number of the world’s oldest cultural monuments including bazaars, museums, mosques, bridges, bathhouses, madrasas, gardens, rich natural, rural landscapes as well as 22 UNESCO World Heritage sites.

The 2019 Travel Risk Map, which shows the risk level around the world, puts Iran among countries with “insignificant risk”, a category where the UK, Denmark, Switzerland, Norway, and Finland are placed in.

AFM/MQ/MG