Head of Tourism Organization Reports Decrease in Iranians' Foreign Travel

Ali-Asghar Mounesan, the head of Iran's Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization, announced on Friday, September 13, that there has been an 8.6% decrease in Iranians traveling abroad in the first four months of this year. In an interview with the 'House of Nation' news agency, affiliated with the Islamic Consultative Assembly, Mounesan attributed this decline in outbound tourism to the creation of 'good economic savings for the country' without providing further details. Key factors contributing to this approximately 9% decrease include the increase in exit fees, soaring currency prices, unprecedented airfare hikes, especially for international flights, and the government's and Central Bank's currency policies along with frequent changes in the allocation of currency to travelers. Concurrently, several trade associations and tourism sector activists had warned about the potential closure of airlines, the future of travel agencies, and jobs related to tourism due to these changes in currency policy. About a month ago, the Deputy Minister of Roads and Urban Development reported on President Hassan Rouhani's directive to resolve issues related to airlines, travel agencies, and adjust airfare prices. In another part of his interview, Mounesan discussed the proposal to remove the Iranian visa stamp from the passports of incoming tourists, emphasizing that 'this action will not create security problems.' According to the head of the Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization, 'based on discussions with the police, there is no issue in this regard, and the Foreign Ministry also agrees with this proposal.' Mounesan noted that 'all details of incoming tourists are recorded in computers, so implementing this proposal will not create security issues.' He first mentioned the proposal to remove the entry stamp to Iran from foreign tourists' passports during a meeting with members of the Iranian Hotel Association and other tourism sector activists at the end of August. This proposal arose because foreign tourists face various problems and restrictions imposed by the United States, which diminishes their motivation to travel to Iran. Despite the Iranian government's efforts to ensure security for incoming foreign travelers, information related to purchasing tickets to Iran or booking rooms and hotels through international websites is still recorded.