Iran's Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization has set key targets, particularly in regard to job creation, for the upcoming Iranian year, which begins on March 21.
According to Ali Asghar Mounesan, head of the organization, ICHHTO has helped generate around 100,000 jobs in the tourism sector over the current year and is targeting 173,000 more next year, IRNA reported.
"We are also envisioning around 40,000 jobs in rural areas, chiefly in the ecotourism and handicrafts sectors," he said on the sidelines of the inauguration of a five-star hotel in Rasht, Gilan Province.
Pointing to President Hassan Rouhani's emphasis on a comprehensive employment scheme, Mounesan assured that the target for the tourism sector is attainable.
"An agreement has been signed with the National Development Fund of Iran for financial assistance by up to 10 trillion rials ($208 million)."
He also said, "Upon the launch of a rural employment scheme, ICHHTO will receive 24 trillion rials ($500 million) directly which can be used to offer low-interest loans to applicants."
The comprehensive tourism plan that has been prepared by ICHHTO will also be reviewed and approved by the Cabinet next year.
Move Toward Efficiency
Officials hope that with the plan, the industry will be managed in a more integrated fashion.
"Various sectors are closely involved in tourism in the world, but in Iran the links of this chain are disjointed," said the official.
Another major plan for the coming year is to commercialize handicrafts. "It is essential to focus on sales and marketing as well as required strategies such as branding, adapting the design with customers' taste and rightly indentifying target countries," he noted.
The export of Iranian handmade artworks registered a 64% increase over the ten months since March 21, 2017.
Mounesan expressed hope that the noticeable growth would continue over the next year as well.
He, however, pointed out that a great concern for the department on his watch will be the promotion of Iran touring.
"The improvement of domestic travel is as important as increasing foreign arrivals because if tours of Iran become more popular, outbound travel will decrease, preventing the outflow of foreign exchange," the official noted.
