Golden Opportunity for Hamedan Tourism

The selection of Hamedan to host the meeting of affiliate members of the UN World Tourism Organization in 2018 is considered a great opportunity for the province to promote its attractions worldwide and boost its tourism sector.

Efforts to host the remarkable global event began last year and the province was given the green light in UNWTO's 22nd General Assembly held in Chengdu, China, on 11-16 Sept.

Hamidreza Yari, the director of Alisadr Tourism Company who is also a member of the Board of Affiliate Members, hopes that the event will help Hamedan regain its popularity in the field of international tourism, IRNA reported.

"Hamedan will be widely publicized as its name will appear on global websites. The proper administration of the event will hopefully help improve the province's tourism facilities," he said.

According to Yari, the assembly will last three days, but tours have been organized before and after the meeting. Some 400 private companies are members of the board and expected to attend the meeting.

"With an accommodation capacity of 1,500 beds, Hamedan has the infrastructure to host the meeting," he said.

The official called on the public to help organize a perfect event to increase the number of inbound tourists.

This is the first time Iran is hosting a UNWTO event that is not only an opportunity for Hamedan, but also for the whole country to present itself as a major destination at the international level.

"Iran's proposed theme for the upcoming assembly is 'development of tourism diplomacy' which will help boost Iran's travel industry, if accepted by the board," he said.

The Board of Affiliate Members is an advisory body to the UNWTO. It has eight global and 12 regional members that are elected every two years.

It meets at least twice a year, with each meeting being convened with at least a two months' notice and with the provisional agenda established by the UNWTO secretary-general in consultation with the chairman of the Board.

In July, Alisadr Tourism Company was elected as a South Asian regional member. The company was established in 1991 for developing the infrastructure to improve domestic and foreign tourism.

Home to 1,800 historical sites, Hamedan Province is known as the country's capital of history and civilization.

Ganjnameh (an ancient inscription), tombs of famous figures such as Avicenna and Baba Taher ancient bath-houses, caravanserais, historical houses and churches are among attractions of the province.