Tourism Official: For Iranians, the Cost of Traveling to Turkey is Less than Domestic Tourism in Iran

Mohammad Sabet Aghlidi, head of planning and support for the development of tourism in Iran, pointed out that 2.5 million Iranians traveled to Turkey last year, citing lower travel costs and better services for tourists in that country as reasons. In an interview published on Saturday, July 7, in ILNA, he mentioned the 'exemptions and incentives that the Turkish government offers to businesses related to the tourism industry.' Despite Iran's high tourism potential, tourists prefer to travel to other destinations, including Turkey, due to issues such as 'weaknesses in the country's infrastructure.' According to statistics, nearly five million tourists entered Iran in 2016, a decrease of about 10 percent compared to the previous year. However, Sabet Aghlidi stated that in 2017, this figure increased by 4.3 percent compared to the previous year. Despite Iran's historical, natural, and cultural attractions ranking high in international assessments, tourism in Iran has declined over recent decades, while the number of Iranians traveling abroad has increased. Political tensions between the Islamic Republic and Western countries, as well as the prohibition of common lifestyles in other countries and the mandatory hijab in Iran, are considered factors in the decrease of incoming tourists to Iran. A day before the tourism official's statements, Nahid Khodakarami, a member of the Tehran City Council, emphasized in a tweet the need to 'remove barriers such as mandatory hijab in transit (airports) and free zones' as a way to expand the tourism industry. However, in addition to political and social factors, Mohammad Sabet Aghlidi mentioned weaknesses in infrastructure, such as transportation systems, and legal difficulties, such as regulations related to businesses, as barriers to domestic tourism for Iranians. This tourism official announced that the number of Iranians traveling abroad last year was nearly 11 million, with about 55 percent of these trips being 'non-pilgrimage.' He stated that 45 percent of the outbound tourists' trips were 'pilgrimage,' with the majority being '2.5 million Iranians traveling to Iraq' during the 'Arbaeen' week.