Head of Travel Agents Guild Association, Hormatollah Rafiei, dismissed as "a rumor" the reports recently circulating on social media of a decision by the Central Bank of Iran to deny foreign currency to outbound tourists.
"We have received no directive from the CBI to stop paying travel foreign currency to tourists," Mehr News Agency quoted Rafiei as saying on Monday.
Travel agencies are not mandated to directly provide foreign money to travelers, so the news of such a directive makes no sense, he said.
In response to the sudden hike in foreign currency rates in early April, which saw the rial trading at 62,000 to the dollar, the government decided to enforce a single exchange rate of 42,000 rials and ban any trading beyond that rate.
The government's tightened policy also involved allocating the 42,000-rial dollar to certain, restricted groups, including travelers.
It stipulated that travelers to foreign destinations can receive up to €500 or its equivalent in other currencies for the Commonwealth of Independent States and neighboring countries, and up to €1,000 for other countries.
Rafiei said policy still remains in place. "Travelers to foreign countries currently have no problem receiving foreign currency."
