In what is touted as Iran’s first-ever organized tour to Serbia, 300 Iranians are set to visit the Balkan country later this week.
The tourists will travel directly to the Serbian capital of Belgrade from Tehran aboard a charter flight of Iran’s Qeshm Airline, which will land in the Nikola Tesla Airport on March 17.
According to IRNA, Serbia’s Ministry of Trade, Tourism and Telecommunications has planned a special ceremony to welcome the Iranian travelers. Representatives from the Iranian Embassy will also be present at the event.
Analysts believe organizing the tour is a step toward strengthening bilateral relations and may herald future cooperation in other sectors.
There are no direct flights between the two countries, but reports suggest that talks are underway to launch a direct Tehran-Belgrade route.
Following the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Masoud Soltanifar, director of the Iran Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization, and Serbian Tourism Minister Rasim Ljiajic in Tehran last December, the Serbian official held talks with Mohammad Javad Izadi, first secretary of the Iranian Embassy in Belgrade and an Iranian travel agency to help organize the tour.
“Serbia can become a hotspot for Iranian tourists in Eastern Europe,” said Yaqoub Qasemi, director of Iran Markaz Travel Agency, which has organized the tour. “If the two countries launch direct flights, we’ll send more groups to Serbia between June and September this year.”
