Iran can become one of the main destinations for tourists from Armenia, Armenian economist Suren Parsyan said in an article published by News.am, the full text of which follows:
I was in Tehran on a one-week visit, which was my second trip to one of the largest countries in the Middle East, with which Armenia has had historical and land connectivity extending over millennia.
In Tehran, I had the opportunity to get acquainted with the history, culture, tourism and economy of Iran close up. I had the honor of participating in the 16th International Tourism and Related Industries Exhibition held in Tehran on Feb. 7-10, during which Iranian provinces individually presented their attractions, hotel and recreational facilities, cultural heritage, customs, souvenirs, etc.
The signs and booklets of some Iranian companies representing Tabriz also contained Armenian information, clearly highlighting the Armenian cultural heritage and diaspora of that region.
The Armenian cultural heritage in Iran is always under the care of the state, which further increases Iran's tourism potential and makes it even more interesting. It can become one of the best examples in the world of how it is possible to preserve Islamic and Christian cultural heritages side by side.
The centers of Iranian culture and tourism are Shiraz, Qazvin, Tabriz, Kerman, Isfahan, Qom, Sanandaj, Khorasan, etc.
International Tourism and Related Industries Exhibition is organized on a regular basis. It is an effective platform for finding new partners, sharing experience and evaluating trends in the tourism sector, to which Armenian tourism companies should also be invited.
Within the framework of the exhibition, Iran's Minister of Tourism Ezzatollah Zarghami met with experts from Armenia at the invitation of Iran’s Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts and the Iran-Armenian Friendship Association NGO.
It is noteworthy that 116,430 tourists from Iran arrived in Armenia in 2022, which is 27.5% more than last year. Although the total number of tourists departing from Armenia increased by 2.6 times during 2022, the tourist flows of Armenia to Iran are very small, which is mainly due to the lack of and sometimes incorrect information about Iran, the passivity of Iranian and Armenian travel companies, and other reasons.
However, in recent years, Kish (in Hormozgan Province), a small Iranian island in the Persian Gulf, has become a new and active tourist destination for Armenian tourists. It is one of the largest and most famous beach resorts in Iran and the Persian Gulf. The entire territory of the island is a free economic zone where you can buy goods of various importance at very affordable prices.
Cheap airline tickets can contribute to the growth of tourist flows [from Armenia] to Iran. I should mention that Armenian and Iranian airlines have several regular flights a week.
Iran implements its foreign policy on the principles of dignity, wisdom and expediency, which allows developing and expanding Armenian-Iranian trade and economic ties in all directions.
Armenian-Iranian political-economic relations have not been and cannot be to the detriment of third countries; Armenia and Iran have no alternative for development.
Currently, in this region, Iran is the only country that conducts a policy of stabilization and prevention of new conflicts, which is also in the interests of Armenia.