TEHRAN – Foreign travelers and pilgrims account for some 40 percent share of hotel occupancy in Khorasan Razavi province, a local tourism official has said.

The province embraces over 900 hotels, apartment hotels and guest houses, according to provincial tourism department.

Each day, Mashhad, the provincial capital, welcomes thousands of travelers, who come from various Iranian cities, neighboring countries and even every corner of the globe to visit the holy shrine complex of Imam Reza (AS), the eighth Imam of the Shia Muslims.

Gholamabbas Arbab-Khales, the head of Foreign Ministry’s Mission in East and North Iran, said earlier in June that the number of foreign travelers to Mashhad has been rising over the past couple of years.

“The arrival of foreign tourists to Mashhad is increasing by 15-20 percent annually, according to [the number of] visas on arrival that are issued by this mission,” the official said.

AFM/MG