Ali Asghar Mounesan, Iranian Vice President and Head of Iran's Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization (ICHTO), reassured hotel owners and those active in tourism industry that the Iranian government will provide protectionist measures to support the industry in the face of US unilateral sanctions on Iran.
To counter US sanctions and ease the tourists' concerns, the passports of foreign tourists visiting Iran will not be stamped according to a bill which has been drafted and approved by the head of the ICHTO, the minister of industry, mine and trade, the Iranian police, and foreign ministry but not yet tabled at the council of ministers, according to Mounesan who made the point at Hotel Espinas in Tehran.
With entry and exit stamps not to be put on the passports of the visiting tourists, we are after removing tourists' concerns about visiting Iran because of US sanctions, he added.
The proposal has been approved by the Iranian police and foreign ministry and it will be put into practice after gaining the approval of the council of ministers.
“While the statistics provided by immigration police of Iran show that the number of foreign tourists visiting Iran has increased by 38 percent in the first four months [of the current Iranian year of 1397], the number of European visitors show a slight decline which has affected the functionality of our 4- and 5-star hotels," Mounesan said, reassuring that this temporary period will pass as Iran will take the necessary measures.
He further reassured hotel owners that the government is preparing protective packages to support them.
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