More than 10,650 Spanish visitors traveled to Iran during the last Iranian year (March 2017-18), which is 9.5% higher than the year before. Iranian tourism authority's annual report on foreign visitors also shows that Spanish tourists accounted for 4.14% of the total number of European visitors to Iran last year.
Nearly 9,800 Iranian tourists also visited Spain during the last fiscal year, ICHHTO statistics show. There is no data available about the number of travelers during the year before. Establishment of direct flights between Tehran and Barcelona by Mahan Air could be a key contributing factor.
However, the recent sanctions by the US Treasury's Office for Foreign Asset Control targeting the airline have raised concerns over the continuation of direct flights to Spain, though Mahan has proved in the past to be capable of finding a way around the sanctions.
Since the signing of the landmark nuclear deal in 2015, Tehran and Madrid have gradually become closer. In fact, Spain has been among the leading foreign investors in Iran since President Hassan Rouhani took office in August 2013 with $3.14 billion worth of investments by March 2017.
As an example, Spanish hotel group Melia is set to open the five-star Melia Motel Ghoo, Iran's first foreign-branded seaside hotel, in Salman Shahr, Mazandaran Province.
