12 May 2016•Update: 13 May 2016
TEHRAN, Iran
Turkey and Iran are committed to strengthening cooperation in tourism, top officials of both countries said Thursday.
Speaking at a joint tourism workshop in the Iranian capital Tehran, Turkish Culture and Tourism Minister Mahir Unal said it was among his ministry’s main goals to boost cooperation between Turkey and Iran in tourism, and bring it to the same high level of cooperation found in the energy and banking sectors.
Unal said that increasing the number of charter flights between the two countries is a top priority in this regard.
"Charter flights, in addition to scheduled flights, are one of the main factors that have a direct impact on seasonal tourist numbers. In this regard, it is one of our priorities to increase both the number of chartered flights as well as their destinations,” he said.
Masoud Soltanifar, Iran’s vice-president and head of the Cultural Heritage, Handcrafts and Tourism Organization, praised Turkey’s successful terrorism sector, adding that Iran is committed to further cooperation in this field.
Soltanifar also invited Turks to visit Iran.
"Turkish businessmen who are thinking of investing in hotel construction in Iran are meeting with their Iranian counterparts today.
“Just like Turkey is a good tourist destination for Iranians, we expect Turkish tourists to visit Iran,” he said.
Unal and Soltanifar later attended a joint technical committee meeting, after which they signed a memorandum of understanding towards promoting cooperation in the field of tourism.
The document contains agreements on informing potential Turkish investors on the opportunities in Iran, and Turkey sharing its experience in the areas of planning, promotion, training, and classification. It also aims to encourage mutual visits by nationals of both countries.
