TEHRAN – Iran has proposed five practical measures to increase Chinese tourist arrivals, including joint travel packages, familiarization tours and direct cooperation between travel agencies, as it seeks to turn longstanding cultural ties with China into tangible tourism business.
The proposals were outlined in a message from Iran’s Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts, Seyyed Reza Salehi-Amiri, read at a specialized meeting on strengthening Iran-China tourism cooperation in Beijing on Friday.
Salehi-Amiri said that Iran eyes China to be become one of its most important tourism partners, stressing that the success of bilateral cooperation would depend on moving beyond discussions to concrete agreements and actual tourist exchanges.
The meeting, hosted by Iran’s embassy in Beijing, brought together officials and representatives of tourism companies from both countries to discuss barriers to bilateral travel, develop joint tourism products and expand cooperation between tour operators.
Marking the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Iran and China, Salehi-Amiri described the occasion as an opportunity to advance cooperation from dialogue to implementation.
He proposed establishing a joint working group of Iranian and Chinese travel agencies and tour operators, developing at least three travel packages specifically tailored to the Chinese market, and organizing familiarization tours in Iran for Chinese travel agency executives and journalists.
The other proposals focused on providing services suited to Chinese visitors, including Chinese-speaking guides and easier payment arrangements, as well as setting measurable targets and clear timelines for tourist exchanges.
“The outcome of this meeting should not be limited to discussions and exchanging business cards,” Salehi-Amiri said in his message. He called for an action plan, travel packages, contracts and the actual dispatch of tourists.
Referring to the historic Silk Road, which connected the two countries through trade and cultural exchange, he said tourism could give the ancient route renewed life.
“The Silk Road was once kept alive by caravans, and today it will be kept alive by the movement of tourists,” he said.
Iranian Ambassador to China Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli also emphasized the need to remove obstacles, reorganize cooperation mechanisms and increase China’s share of Iran’s tourism market.
He described the Silk Road as more than a commercial route, saying it had historically facilitated exchanges in culture, art, music and traditions. Modern technology, he added, offered new opportunities to strengthen people-to-people ties.
Rahmani Fazli also highlighted China’s potential role in Iran’s postwar reconstruction, following the recent war against the country, and said both nations sought peace and security in West Asia.
Chinese tourism representatives described Iran as a destination with considerable cultural appeal and economic potential, expressing interest in expanding travel between the countries. They also identified several obstacles, including the absence of an Iranian tourism promotion office in Beijing, flight disruptions following the war and limited opportunities for familiarization tours.
Their recommendations included establishing an Iranian tourism representation office in Beijing, organizing promotional events for Chinese media and travel bloggers, arranging familiarization trips, developing tailored travel packages and ensuring more stable air connections.
Participants also suggested using shared cultural interests, including tea culture, to promote tourism cooperation.
During the meeting, Roozbeh Kardooni, an adviser to the minister and director general of the ministry’s ministerial office, said Iran could host a group of Chinese tourism industry representatives in the near future. Such a visit could help Chinese tour operators assess Iran’s attractions firsthand and explore opportunities to develop joint travel products.
AM
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: tehrantimes.com
