Iranian travel agencies that plan to offer FIFA World Cup tour packages next year must offer match tickets to their clients, otherwise they cannot promote the packages as world cup tours.
Speaking to Mehr News Agency, Morteza Rahmani Movahed, tourism deputy at Iran’s Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization, said, “There is little reason to travel to Russia during the World Cup unless it’s to watch the games.”
He said historically FIFA, the world football’s governing body, chooses one entity in every country to sell World Cup tours, but because Iran and Russia have been working closely in the field of tourism, there is a good chance that Moscow might allow some Iranian travel agencies to organize World Cup tours.
“If so, the agencies must provide match tickets to their customers, otherwise they will not be allowed to advertise their packages as World Cup tours,” Movahed said.
The reason behind the organization’s strict stance on the matter is that Russia tours during the World Cup are expected to cost more than they normally do.
“What’s the point of charging customers more if they’re not going to watch the games?” he asked. “It’s just another Russia tour then, so calling those packages “World Cup tours” is misleading.”
Russia is hosting the world’s most popular sports event next summer and is expected to reap its economic benefits, which experts say can help its ailing economy.
Aside from Russia, Iran and Brazil are the only teams to have qualified for the 2018 World Cup, scheduled for June 14-July 15.
Ticket prices for the group matches range from $105 to $210, whereas the final’s ticket prices vary from $455 to $1,100.
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