iran iran
The biggest drawback to Iran’s growth for the sector is expected to
tourism is its international repu-
tation regarding its nuclear plans.
But following a new approach to
tourism that outlines plans for
aggressive marketing, Iran threw
open its nuclear power plant in
Bushehr in Southern Iran to tour-
ists on March 31 on the occasion of
Nauroz, the Iranian New Year.
The Islamic nation’s 20-Year Vi-
sion, which expects Iran to account
for two per cent of international
tourists by 2025, documents tourism
project investment of over $32 billion
and lists plans to tackle ills such as
weak advertising, unstable regional
conditions, a poor public image in
some parts of the world, and absence
of efficient planning schemes.
According to the World Travel
and Tourism Council real GDP
Iran: the listings
General Information
International Tel Code: +98
Area Codes: Bandar Abbas 761,
Bushehr 771, Damghan 2333,
Esfahan 311, Hamadan 811,
Kerman 341, Kermanshah 831,
Mashhad 511, Rasht 131, Shiraz
711, Tabriz 411, Tehran 21, Yazd
351, Zahedan 541.
Currency: Iran Rial (IRR)
Exchange rate: 1 USD = 9,593 IRR
(March 2008)
Visas: Entry/Transit/Tourist and
Pilgrimage visas are available at
the airport on arrival subject to
conditions and terms set by the
authorities. Airport Visa is issued
at Mehrabad Airport for 72 hours
for businessmen. Airport Transit
Visa is issued for 48 hours to
applicants intending to transit
Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Tehran
Tel: +9821 2161151
Fax: +9821 2166743
Airports
Shiraz – Shahid Dastghaib
International Airport
164 | Tel/Fax: +98711 21948
Plans for 2009 include participa-
be -7.3 per cent in 2009 and to av-
erage 4.3 per cent per annum over
the coming 10 years.
The Iran Cultural Heritage,
Handicrafts and Tourism Organiza-
tion (ICHHTO) said the country ex-
perienced a 100 per cent growth in
foreign tourist arrivals until 2007.
In mid-2008, 2.5million travellers
had already visited the country.
Following an enormous increase
in the number of German tourists
travelling to Iran in 2008, the tour-
ism department has announced a
€4m ($5.2m) contract with German
tourist firms on marketing and ad-
vertising Iran’s tourism industry.
As part of its ongoing marketing
efforts, Iran attended 21 interna-
tional tourism exhibitions in vari-
ous parts of the world in 2007-8.
Imam Khomeini International
Airport (IKIA), Tehran
Tel: +9821 51006015
Fax: +9821 44666925
Iran Air
Tel: +9821 46623233
Fax: +9821 46625904
Hotels
Esfahan
Safir Hotel
Tel: +98311 2222640
Fax: +98311 2232176
www: safirhotel.com
60 suites, 3 F&B outlets
Meeting facilities: business centre,
conference hall, convention hall
Leisure facilities: sauna, fitness
centre, woman boutique, pool
Mashaad
Mashhad Homa Hotel
Tel: +98511 7611003
Fax: +98511 7610033
www: homahotels.com
114 rooms, 88 suites, 4 F&B
outlets
Leisure facilities: amusement
park, fitness centre, sauna, pool,
tennis court
Pars International Hotel
Tel: +98511 8689201
According to Euromonitor, the
tion in 28 international tourism
exhibitions.
Two new Iranian Tourism In-
vestment Offices opened in the last
quarter of 2008, including Turkey
and Italy. These will negotiate with
parties interested in investing in
Iran’s tourism sector.
Also in October 2008, the sev-
enth annual meeting of the Gulf
Tourism Co-operation Commit-
tee recommended that GCC states
introduce a single visa that would
enable tourists to travel within the
GCC countries and Iran.
Iran has long been a target desti-
nation for travellers from the Arab
states, Southeast Asia and Europe.
The most popular tourist destina-
tions are Esfahan, Mashhad, and
Shiraz.
Fax: +98511 8689200
www: parkinternationalhotel.com  Tehran Homa Hotel
229 rooms, 3 F&B outlets
Meeting facilities: conference hall
Leisure facilities: pool, fitness
club, Jacuzzi, sports facilities
Shiraz
Shiraz Homa Hotel
Tel: +98711 2288000
Fax: +98711 2288014
www: homahotels.com
211 rooms, 23 suites, 5 F&B
outlets
Meeting facilities: 1 ballroom
Leisure facilities: sauna, Jacuzzi,
swimming pool, tennis courts
Tabriz
El Goli Park-Tabriz
Tel: +98411 3807820
Fax: +98411 3808555
180 rooms, 1 F&B outlet
Meeting facilities: business centre,
1 conference hall
Leisure facilities: swimming pool,
tennis court, fitness centre, shops
Tabriz International Hotel
Tel: +98411 3341081
Fax: +98411 3341080
www: hoteltabriz.com
120 rooms, 2 suites, 3 F&B outlets
Iranian low-cost airline easeon air
is due to start operating in 2009.
It will initially compete on domes-
tic routes. Further to recent open
skies agreements, more interna-
tional airlines are also starting to
fly to Iran. Last year, in June, Air
Arabia launched a service to Shiraz
four times a week. This is the budg-
et airline’s second destination in
Iran after Tehran.
While there are not many inter-
national chains and hotel occupan-
cy rates in some provinces of the
country remain as low as 30 per
cent, in June 2008 Lianmond Ma-
rine Hotel announced plans for a
$450m property in the South West-
ern Bushehr Province. |
By Shalini Seth
Tehran
Tel: +9821 88773021
Fax: +9821 88791780
www: homahotels.com
140 rooms, 33 suites, 4 F&B
outlets
Meeting facilities: 5 meetings
rooms (up to 600)
Leisure facilities: sauna,
swimming pool, safe, shopping
arcade & mini bar
Car Hire
International Car Rental
Reservation System
Tehran Station
Tel: +9821 2550221-2226566
Fax: +9821 2250222
Tehran International Airport
(Terminal 6)
Tel: +9821 2193458
Fax: +9821 2250222
Isfahan (Esfahan) Station
Tel: +98311 2215702
Fax: +98311 2216058
Mashhad Station
Tel: +98511 3415060
Fax: +98511 3415060
Tabriz Station
Tel: +98411 5560861
Fax: +98 411 5534790