Iranian participants in the 9th West China Cultural Industries Expo which ended on Monday endeavored to change the common misconceived image of the country in the minds of the Chinese along with introducing their products.
Iran was attending the expo as a guest of honor. Artists from different provinces offered their artworks in a pavilion and musicians played Iranian traditional music.
However, they were forced to answer the visitors' odd questions about the conditions in Iran as well, Mehr News Agency reported.
According to Faezeh Akhoundi, a Chinese-speaking tour guide who was presenting Iranian souvenirs in a stall, most visitors asked questions about sanctions and security in Iran, as this is the first thing that crosses their minds on hearing the name of the country.
"They think we live like Iraqis and Arabs. They ask if Iranian women wear a burqa or if they are allowed to drive. They ask if there is a war in Iran and we need to explain that this picture is wrong, Iran is safe and there is no war ahead," she said.
Specialized Meetings
On the sidelines of the event, specialized meetings were held in which Iranian participants took the opportunity to rectify the negative view of the country among the citizens of the world's largest tourist source market.
Hossein Khalifi, Iran's tourism marketing representative in Shanghai, made a speech in the Chinese language, calling on the citizens to make at least one trip to Iran because its rich history will satisfy their curiosity.
"Iran is quite cheap now and transport is easy… One could even travel to different cities by train," he explained.
The official also urged the Chinese to refer to reliable media that depict a realistic picture of Iran.
Khalifi also gave clarification about women's dress code and convenient ways of obtaining an airport visa in Iran.
He highlighted the fact that Iran and China had never been at war at any time in history.
Lasting Bond
Jalal Imam, a history and culture professor at Xian International Studies University, underscored the long history of relations between the two nations which dates back 2,500 years.
"During any historical era, Iranian figures have traveled to China and left travelogues," he said.
He, too, stressed that Iran is safe and there is no military conflict ongoing in the country.
Iran has developed strong business ties with China but has failed to tap its lucrative tourism market although it has been designated as one of the primary target countries.
Lack of efficient advertising to counter the western propaganda campaign against Iran and lack of trained Chinese-speaking tour guides as well as the unofficial tourism activities of Chinese expatriates in Iran have been named as the main reasons for Iran's failure to attract tourists from the world's largest nation.
