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Iran kicks off tourism roadshow in Malaysia
Iran Deputy Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts, Ali-Asghar Shalbafian, said the launch highlighted the Iranian government’s recent efforts to boost tourism and attract investment, which included organizing roadshows and fervently promoting the country’s diverse tourist attractions.
Shalbafian said his ministry had invited renowned travel agencies from around the world to participate in business-to-business (B2B) sessions with their Iranian counterparts.
“The government has received a positive response from global travel businesses and many individuals who recognize Iran’s potential as a tourism destination. This initiative will help counteract media distortion and fabrication about the country,” he said during the event.
Over 100 representatives from both Iranian and Malaysian travel companies attended the event.
To attract tourists, Iran has waived visa requirements for over half of the world’s population, including Malaysia and most of the Southeast Asian countries.
Recently, Iran granted tourist visa exemptions to 28 additional countries such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tunisia, Tanzania, Mauritania, Zimbabwe, Mauritius, the Seychelles, Japan, Indonesia, Singapore, Cuba, Vietnam, Cambodia, Brunei, Brazil, Mexico, Peru, Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Belarus and India.
The ambassador of Iran to Malaysia, Valiollah Mohammadi Nasrabadi, who was present at the ceremony, emphasized the importance of opening Iran to tourism, and highlighted the numerous attractive destinations and the positive impact that tourism could have on the country’s image.
Nasrabadi acknowledged that Iran’s reputation has suffered in recent years due to negative portrayals by Western media but he believed that tourists visiting the country would be pleasantly surprised to find out that the negative perceptions were unfounded.
“Opening up Iran for tourism offers many benefits, including economic and social potentials, as well as advancements in science and technology. We invite people from all over the world to visit Iran and experience the reality in the country,” he said.