Islamic countries capture only 13% of world tourism market: official

“Only 4 of the 25 countries which are frontrunner in tourism are Islamic countries,” Masjed-Jameii said in a speech to the “International Conference on Tourism of Islamic Countries” running from March 3 to 5.

The conference hosts representatives from different Islamic states.

The Information Age can be called the “age of tourism” and the relation between the Islamic countries can be utilized for achieving an advanced tourism industry, noted the former culture minister in the Khatami administration.

In Islam, every Muslim is obliged to take a trip at least once in his or her lifetime, he said, adding, “Even if we want to hold on only to this fact, we should prepare the ground first for the local people and then for foreign tourists.”

The first thing that a tourist needs in a country is security and as long as there is negative propaganda, war, and violence, tourist attraction is harmed, he stated.

Iran’s ambassador to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Hamid-Reza Asefi also told the conference that “tourism and foreign policy are interrelated issues.” He said tourism can serve foreign policy.

A failure by the Islamic countries to receive tourists is partly rooted in insufficient infrastructure, insecurity, and a Western-orchestrated propaganda about the situation in Islamic states, Asefi noted.

However, the former Foreign Ministry spokesman cited lack of proper planning and inattention to tourism as major sources of stagnation in this field in Islamic states.

In regard to Iran, he said the system is responsible for the situation as it has not taken proper measures to develop tourism.

RMN/MS

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MNA