Generating jobs and helping cut he dole queues are among government’s top priorities in the new fiscal year (started 20 March), with special emphasis on the nascent tourism sector, where the administration is aiming to create 120,000 jobs before the year is out.
Minister of Labor Ali Rabi’ee made the statement in a meeting on ‘Developing Jobs in the Tourism Industry’ last week, attended by senior tourism officials and experts from the United Nations Industrial Development Organization office in Tehran.
Elaborating, the minister said his office’s main focus is on “jobs related to handicraft, health and religious tourism as well as ecotourism,” IRNA reported.
“The rate of job creation in tourism is 2.5 times greater than other sectors,” he noted.
He pointed to a comprehensive plan which tasks the Iran Technical & Vocational Training Organization and Iran’s Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization with educating those interested in the field of tourism and ICT.
“UNIDO will also help ensure the plan is successfully carried out,” Rabi’ee added.
The scheme will be piloted in 70 villages in Semnan, Kermanshah and Kurdestan provinces.
According to the World Travel and Tourism Council, the fast growing sector supported 284 million jobs — or 1 in 11 jobs — in the world in 2015.
