Pitching tents in parks in the peak holiday season has become a nuisance, as it not only encroaches on other’s rights, but also blemishes an otherwise beautiful landscape.
“International standards do not allow a private space to be set up in a public place,” Morteza Rahmani Movahed, tourism deputy at Iran’s Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization, told reporters on Sunday, Mehr News Agency reported.
He said the practice is detrimental to government efforts to develop tourism and stressed that tents should be set up in designated areas, such as camping sites.
Experts have pointed to two main reasons behind the unpleasant practice: Lack of hotels and pricey rooms.
Movahed said earlier that many four- and five-star hotels are offering services incompatible with their star rating, but that may soon change.
“About 250 hotels have signed contracts with us to raise the quality of their services in line with international standards. This is while 48 establishments have been granted certificates that testify to the quality of their services,” he said.
The official said hotel’s star ratings must reflect the quality of their services, as people trust those ratings.
Movahed called on hoteliers to reduce their reliance on government support and follow the private sector’s business models.
