TEHRAN – Student admissions officially opened on Tuesday at Tehran's Hotel Management School, while plans are underway to establish similar institutions on Kish Island and in Bandar Anzali, the head of the Tourism Group of the Social Security Organization (HEGTA) said.

Speaking to journalists on Monday, Alireza Tabesh, chief executive of HEGTA, told the Tehran Times that the launch of admissions marks a step toward expanding specialized education and training for Iran's tourism and hospitality sector.

Tabesh said HEGTA is also pursuing the establishment of a second hotel management school on Kish Island, citing the growing accommodation capacity of one of Iran's main tourism destinations.

"There are more than 50 active hotels on Kish Island, and another 50 hotels are under construction," he said. "Given this capacity, and based on an agreement signed with the Kish Investment and Development Company, we plan to establish a second hotel management school on the island in cooperation with the University of Tehran."

He said the initiative is intended to help train the workforce needed by the hospitality industry and support the development of tourism services on the island.

Tabesh also outlined plans to expand hotel management education in northern Iran. He said an agreement has been signed in Bandar Anzali and that, if cooperation progresses as planned, a third hotel management school will be established in the city.

Discussing HEGTA's broader strategy, Tabesh said the holding company's approach is based on organizational efficiency, innovation, cost and energy management, long-term planning, transparency and facilitation.

He said the company is also focusing on the productive development of tourism-related assets, rebranding tourism facilities and strengthening cooperation with government institutions and private-sector stakeholders.

According to Tabesh, one of HEGTA's strategic objectives is to strengthen its position within Iran's tourism ecosystem while increasing the value of the Social Security Organization's assets through tourism development and the productive utilization of those assets.

He said the company plans to introduce new products and services through coordination among its subsidiaries and position HEGTA as a leading brand in Iran's health tourism sector.

Tabesh added that improving the financial performance of subsidiary companies, expanding their presence in the tourism market, addressing the needs of Generation Z travelers and responding to crises in a timely manner are among the group's key priorities.

He said HEGTA is also pursuing social responsibility programs for retirees, war-affected individuals and employees, while continuing to follow legal cases involving its subsidiary companies.
Tehran's Hotel Management School operates under HEGTA's Homa Hotels Group.

AM