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Fam Tour for Turkish Travel Agents

Fam Tour for Turkish Travel Agents
Fam Tour for Turkish Travel Agents

A familiarization tour was organized for Turkish tour operators in Iran’s northwestern region on November 12-14, the tourism deputy at the Iran Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization office in East Azarbaijan Province said.

“The initiative was aimed at introducing the tourism potential and cultural, historical and natural attractions of East Azarbaijan and Ardebil provinces to Turkish travel agents,” Ahmad Hamzezadeh was quoted as saying by travel news website Donyay-e-Safar.

The tour was organized by two travel agencies in cooperation with the ICHHTO’s Ardebil and East Azarbaijan offices.

About 20 tour operators and travel agents from Istanbul, Ankara, Konya and Van attended.

Programs included visits to several important sites in the two provinces, including museums in Tabriz, the Tabriz Bazaar and Kandovan Village in East Azarbaijan, as well as the UNESCO-listed Sheikh Safi al-Din Khanegah and Shrine Ensemble and the popular tourist city of Sareyn in Ardebil.

Hamzezadeh noted that attractions in western , particularly northwestern, Iran “are not well-known outside the country” due to lackluster marketing, and called for an expansion of tourism ties between the two neighbors.

He expressed hope that introducing some of the tourist attractions in the northwest would  encourage more foreigners to visit the region.

Tabriz, the capital of East Azarbaijan, is famous for its handicrafts, including hand-woven rugs and jewelry. It is also known for its traditional pastries, chocolates, dry fruits and food.

Ardebil boasts 37 exemplary tourists regions and has 927 historic and cultural sites on the National Heritage List.

Suspended since August, direct flights between Ardebil and Istanbul could be restored in the near future, Qader Taqizade, the tourism deputy at the ICHHTO’s Ardebil office said, according to the Persian daily Donya-e-Eqtesad.

Earlier this month, Mirfakhroddin Hashemi, director of Ardebil Province’s airports, told Fars News Agency that Ardebil-Istanbul flights “would most likely resume by March 2016”.

Mid-March in Iran coincides with the Nowrouz (New Year) holiday season during which Iranians in large numbers travel in and outside the country.

Financialtribune.com