Iranian tour operators in talks to find new markets in Russia

TEHRAN – Head of the Iranian Tour Operators Association Ebrahim Pourfaraj on Sunday said that new rounds of negotiations have been commenced between Iranian tour operators, travel marketers, and their Russian counterparts.

Tehran, Caracas discuss ways to expand tourism ties

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

South Africa lifts visa for Iranian travelers

TEHRAN - South Africa’s government has announced that it waived visa requirement for passport holders from Iran and ten other countries.

By Afshin Majlesi

Iran sets sights on tourism rebound if coronavirus wanes, minister says

TEHRAN – The Islamic Republic of Iran is developing necessary infrastructure in the realms of traveling, accommodation, and human resources as it eyeing to jumpstart travels whenever coronavirus restrictions ease, Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Minister Ali-Asghar Mounesan told the Tehran Times in an exclusive interview on Saturday.

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Travel in Iran

What is the state of Iran's tourism? Fortunately, Iran took an early hit with Coronavirus. Officials took immediate measures to lighten the strain on society. The mandatory quarantine in Iran was helpful in hindering the outbreak. In March 2020, WHO and a couple of international institutes made a visit to Iran in order to conduct a technical support mission for out-break. According to the reports revealed by WHO, “Iran’s strategies to control the virus are in the right direction and a comprehensive coordinated approach is being applied”.

'Smart, responsible traveling' should replace ‘do not travel' recommendations: tourism minister

TEHRAN – Iranian Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts Ali Asghar Munesan has said that if coronavirus-related restrictions persist, the tourism industry of the country will suffer irreparable losses and many tourism insiders will be bankrupt, adding it’s time to replace “smart and responsible traveling” with “do not travel” recommendations.

Iran, Russia visa waiver for group tours on verge of reality

TEHRAN – In 2017, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin inked a visa-free agreement for tourist groups. The agreement, however, seems to be implemented in the near future as a joint technical committee on Wednesday reached an initial agreement in this regard.

By Afshin Majlesi

The future of travel in Iran

Ubiquitous face masks, partitions, social distances, customer-service protocols, not-yet-fulfilled refunds, and self-quarantined at home on a mass scale, as well as closed borders, canceled events, and changing policies challenge tourism industry insiders to forecast what the lingering impact of the novel coronavirus could be on the way we travel.

Nonzero: only 74 international travelers visit Iran during spring

TEHRAN – The number of foreign travelers to Iran has drastically plunged due to the global coronavirus pandemic as the Islamic Republic registered only 74 visits during the spring season.

Coronavirus costs Iran’s tourism $2.8b so far, minister says

TEHRAN – Iran’s travel sector has suffered a loss of 12 trillion rials (some $2.85 billion at the official rate of 42,000 rials) since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, tourism minister Ali-Asghar Mounesan said on Monday.

By Afshin Majlesi

20 wonderful, must-see cultural sites in Iran

If you ask foreign visitors to Iran about the most characteristic future they discovered during excursions in the ancient land, the most possible answers may be somewhat like these: “It is the friendliest country on Earth with loads of warm-hearted welcome!”; “It is the jewel in Islam’s crown in terms of architecture”; “Being home to fascinating cultural heritage sites”; or “a land where echoes of ancient civilizations still resonate down through the ages!”

Corona is a reality but it cannot stop traveling, tourism minister says

TEHRAN – Iran’s tourism minister on Tuesday said that it is true that the coronavirus pandemic is a [bitter] reality but it cannot bring traveling to a complete standstill.

New rules for traveling to Iran to take effect Saturday

TEHRAN – New regulations and instructions for traveling to Iran will take effect tomorrow as the country is fighting back against the global spread of the coronavirus, ISNA reported on Friday.

British embassy in Tehran resumes processing visas

TEHRAN – The British embassy in Tehran in a Twitter message late on Monday announced it has resumed processing visas for Iranian applicants.

Despite resuming flights UAE not issuing visas for Iranians: report

TEHRAN – The United Arab Emirates is not issuing visas for Iranian nationals although its flag career Emirates has resumed flights to/from the Iranian capital Tehran after some six months of halt over the coronavirus pandemic, ISNA reported on Wednesday.

Iran seeking to attract millions of Chinese travelers, ex-envoy says

TEHRAN - Tehran’s ex-ambassador to Beijing has said Iran is seeking to become a tourist destination for millions of potential travelers from China as the two countries are working on a 25-year comprehensive cooperation plan that includes boosting relations in the field of tourism. 

Iran setting rules to resume foreign tourist arrivals amid pandemic

TEHRAN – The ministries of tourism and health in close collaboration with several other government bodies are defining a series of rules for admitting foreign travelers to the country amid a standstill in the global tourism industry caused mainly by the coronavirus.

Iran ready to facilitate arrival of Afghan medical travelers: minister

TEHRAN – Iran is considering to make it easier for the Afghan nationals who are willing to visit the neighboring country for medical purposes, tourism minister has said.

Tourism minister proposes days off after coronavirus crisis ends

TEHRAN – Iranian tourism minister Ali-Asghar Mounesan on Saturday proposed the government to announce days off after the country overcomes the coronavirus crisis in a bid to help the battered tourism sector make a rebound.

Italy extends visa for Iranians up to 60 days

TEHRAN – The Italian government has agreed to significantly extend short-term visas for visiting Iranians, saying they will have “no problem” to stay up to 60 days more after their visa expiration dates, Tehran’s embassy in Rome has said, IRNA reported.

Tehran conference seeks to boost Iran-Azerbaijan tourism ties

TEHRAN – Iran and Azerbaijan held a professional conference in Tehran on Saturday, during which high-level tourism officials, hoteliers, airline directors, and chief tour operators explored avenues to broaden tourism ties between the two neighbors.

Tehran, Moscow discuss ways to expand tourism

TEHRAN – Iran and Russia have explored avenues for deepening ties in the arena of tourism and facilitating travels between the two countries.

Iran’s flag carrier launches Asaluyeh-Doha service 

TEHRAN – Iran’s flag carrier –IranAir – has launched new service connecting southwestern port city of Asaluyeh to Qatar’s capital, Doha, according to the Ministry of Transport and Urban Development’s portal.  

Iran proposes visa-free travel among ECO member states

TEHRAN – Iranian tourism minister Ali-Asghar Mounesan on Saturday called for the Economic Cooperation Organization to consider granting visa-free travel for member states.

‘Country-size guesthouse of Iran wholeheartedly ready to receive tourists’

TEHRAN – Iran’s tourism minister on Saturday issued a statement, inviting all travelers and holidaymakers to visit the ancient land, saying that the country-size guesthouse is wholeheartedly ready to receive tourists from around the world. 

Iranian winter festival highlights “Chinese New Year”

TEHRAN – A winter tourism festival opened in the Iranian city of Hamedan on Friday, concurrent with the start of the Chinese New Year, which has been selected as one of the main themes for the event.

Iraqi nationals top list of foreign tourist arrivals in Kordestan

TEHRAN – Iraqi travelers constituted the largest source of foreign arrivals in the western Iranian province of Kordestan during the first three quarters of the current Iranian calendar year (started March 21, 2019), compared to the same period last year, provincial tourism chief has said.

Coastal, forest tourism development plan being prepared

TEHRAN – The Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts is preparing a comprehensive plan for developing tourism around coastal areas and forests in the country.

Foreign arrivals in Semnan province up 22% since March

TEHRAN – International tourist arrivals in Iran’s north-central Semnan province rose 22 percent since the beginning of the current Iranian calendar year (started March 21), provincial tourism chief has said.

Iranian provinces tasked to expand own overseas tourism markets

TEHRAN – In order to promote decentralization in the domestic tourism industry, each Iranian province is tasked to develop its own tourism market abroad, particularly for visitors from nearby countries.