In order to develop the country’s tourism industry, it is essential that Majlis Cultural Commission gets involved, according to a member of the Parliamentary Tourism Group.
Seyyed Sadeq Tabatabaei-Nejad also told ISNA that cultural obstacles are the main challenges hindering the development of tourism, meaning the industry is not as valued as it should be.
He argued that the tourism group has already spread itself thin and should look to share responsibilities, adding that the Sports, Women and Tourism Committee of the commission could take up the responsibility of promoting the sector from cultural and economic viewpoints.
“Without sharing responsibilities, the group’s endeavors will not produce the desired results,” he said.
Tabatabaei-Nejad suggested that tourism must be prioritized by the authorities rather than being viewed in the periphery.
He also pointed to the working days and opening hours of tourist sites, noting that they must be open on holidays as most people opt for travel and recreation on these days.
The lawmaker called on Iran’s Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization to give special attention to pilgrimage and religious tourism due to the sheer number of major religious sites in Iran.
“A majority of our foreign tourists and a large number of domestic tourists are pilgrims, so the sector requires a lot of attention as it can help our tourism grow, especially in the cities of Mashhad, Qom and Shiraz,” he said.
Tabatabaei-Nejad stressed that Iran cannot follow the example of Turkey and other Muslim countries to attract foreign tourists and must make plans according to its own Islamic and cultural standards to boost the sector.
