Tehran, YJC. The Islamic Republic is attempting to turn into an international hub for Halal tourism.
An Iranian official says doing so is likely to attract as
many as 15 million Muslims a year from around the world.
Massoud Soltanifar, Vice President and head of the Cultural
Heritage Organization of Iran says Iran is experiencing a steady rise in the
numbers of tourists visiting the country.
Five million tourists visited Iran last year, half of them traveling to Mashhad and Qom to visit Shia shrines, he stated.
The official maintained the government has a special plan to
expand Halal tourism. "With this measure, Iran will attract 10-15 million
foreign tourists every year.”
Halal tourism is geared at Muslim families, with
non-alcoholic policies and separate facilities for women and men being on the
itinerary.
According to international tourism reviews, there is a high
potential for Halal tourism boom in the Middle East.
Soltanifar says Iran is also working to absorb 20 million
foreign tourists annually in the next 11 years.
"Thanks to the new government’s approach and interaction
with the world, we are seeing a rise in foreign tourists from European and
Islamic countries.”
The official says some destinations are among the
government’s priorities for development, including Qom where there is
insufficient tourism infrastructure.