Plans to Promote Tehran Tourism in Norouz

To improve the quality of services offered to travelers in the upcoming Norouz (Iranian New Year) holidays and enhance tourists' experience, officials in Tehran Province are implementing measures to bolster tourism quality, offering discounts at sites of attractions and introducing tours along lesser known routes. 

According to Ali Rafiei, tourism deputy at the provincial office of Iran's Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization, inspection teams comprising officials from several provincial organizations have been formed in all counties to monitor the quality of services in lodging facilities as well as restaurants and cafes. 

Inspections have started since January and will continue until the end of the holidays, the travel news website Safar reported. 

"Since late January, 38 places have been warned over offering substandard services but no business has been suspended yet," he said. 

Rafiei hoped that the private sector would also offer discounts in accommodation and hospitality sectors. 

"Although we have not yet negotiated with business owners, we hope to convince them to offer 30-40% discounts in hotels and 20% in the hospitality (e.g. restaurants and cafes) sector," he said. 

The plan is specially targeted at school teachers who are often accommodated in temporary lodgings in school buildings during holidays. 

"We intend to offer special affordable services to these groups so that they can stay in hotels or hotel apartments," he said.

Rafiei said tourism officials hope to be able to offer even more discounts to this group.

Tehran Province, particularly the city of Tehran, experiences outbound tourism during the Iranian New Year holidays, as many residents of the capital and its suburbs travel to their home towns or other cities. Tourism officials aim to promote the province as a holiday destination.