The necessity of attracting foreign tourists in a prudent manner was emphasized by a member of the cultural and tourism commission of parliament, Gholamali Jafarzadeh Imen Abadi.
He stated, “preparing the cultural grounds for expanding tourism and changing perceptions can result in increased income for the tourism industry and a subsequent growth of the economy.”
The green forests and beautiful Caspian Sea coast in the north are perfect attractions for travelers from Arab countries who come from hot regions and numerous deserts, the official told Icana.
On the other hand, through appropriate incentives, tourists from the “green continent” (Europe) can be encouraged to travel to central and southern areas of Iran “to enjoy a different climate from what they are accustomed to”, Imen Abadi noted.
He also pointed out that, economic aspects cannot be considered alone, people’s cultural perception towards the presence of foreign tourists in their cities needs to change as well.
“It does not appeal to the people in religious cities, for instance, to have a constant presence of foreigners travelers; but omitting tourism as a source of income will adversely impact on local tradeand hurt the economy”, he concluded.
