34% Rise in Foreign Tourists to Iran FTZs

More than 28,000 foreign tourists spent at least a night in Iranian free trade zones in the first seven months of the Iranian year (ended Oct. 22), marking a 34% growth compared with the same period of last year.

The government had set a goal of attracting 23,000 foreign tourists in the seven-month period, according to a report released by the High Council of Free Trade Zones and Special Economic Zones.

Iranian FTZs hosted 39,000 foreign travelers in the previous fiscal year (ended March 2017), whereas the number is expected to reach 43,000 by March 2018, Dolat.ir reported.

Iran has seven FTZs, Kish Island and Qeshm Island in Southern Province of Hormozgan, Chabahar Port in Sistan-Baluchestan, Arvand in Khuzestan, Anzali Port in the northern province of Gilan, Maku in West Azarbaijan and Aras in East Azarbaijan. 

The released data do not specify the share of each zone from the total number of foreign visitors, though Kish and Qeshm have always outperformed other areas, thanks to their rich infrastructural developments.

Figures released by local officials also show that in the six months ending Sept. 22, the number of foreign travelers to Chabahar and Anzali increased by 23% and 11% respectively.