Iran to become World’s halal torusim hub: VP

Speaking to IQNA, Soltanifar said the good conditions that will follow the nuclear deal and lifting of anti-Iran sanctions as well as the government’s positive approach to the area of tourism will prepare the ground for Iran to be the main destination for Halal tourism in the world.

He noted that Iran’s tourism sector has seen a significant growth in the past two years, adding that a large number of tourists have visited Iran from different countries, including neighboring Muslim states.

With a focus on Halal and pilgrimage tourism, Iran will be turned into a major destination for Muslim tourists, the official added.

He further noted that 50 percent of the foreigners visiting Iran are pilgrims coming to visit the holy shrines of Imam Reza (AS) in Mashhad and Hazrat Masoumeh (SA) in Qom.

Soltanifar had earlier said that over 5 million foreign tourists visited Iran’s religious, historical and cultural sites in the last Iranian year (March 21, 2014 - March 20, 2015).

On the nationality of the tourists, the vice president said that some 1,6 million of them were from Iraq, some 500,000 from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain and other southern countries of the Persian Gulf, some 300 thousand from India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and the Central Asian countries.

Soltanifar added that tourists from the Western and Southeast Asian countries mainly visit the country’s historical and cultural attractions.

/SR