Iran's H1 Tourist Arrivals, Departures Increase

A total of 4,998,215 tourists visited Iran during the first half of the current Iranian year (March 21-Sept. 22) to register a 26.34% growth compared with the same period of last year, according to the deputy minister of cultural heritage, handicrafts and tourism.
Vali Teymouri added that Iraq, Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, Turkey and Pakistan were the main source of tourists to Iran in H1, ISNA reported.
Although rising tensions between Washington and Tehran are hitting visitor numbers, especially from Europe, the increasing number of travelers arriving in Iran for religious and medical purposes is making up for the loss.
According to Ebrahim Pourfaraj from Iranian Tourism Association, the weak rial helps bring in tourists to Iran.