Muslim Shajai, the Director General of Marketing and Development of Foreign Tourism at the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts, discussed flight restrictions and the future of foreign tourism, stating: "In the short term, it is possible to facilitate the return of tourists to their countries by using transit hubs in border areas. However, when air communications with neighboring countries are cut off, more serious solutions must be considered."
Temporary Solutions for Moving Tourists
Shajai further referred to the situation of Iraqi tourists, saying: "For example, travelers can be transferred from Mashhad to Abadan and from there to Basra and then return to their country. This solution is applicable for short-term situations, but for those who are currently stranded in Iran, immediate action may not be feasible in some cases."
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The Necessity of Strengthening Border Transit Centers
The Director General of Marketing and Development of Foreign Tourism emphasized the need to strengthen transit centers in border areas, drawing on past experiences from wars and sanctions. He stated: "Establishing and strengthening transportation centers in border cities can alleviate some of the problems. For instance, Urmia and Abadan can play a role in border communications, and Mashhad can assist in connecting with Pakistan and Afghanistan."
Shajai also noted: "In the north of the country with Turkmenistan and in the Tabriz region with Armenia, communication capacities can also be strengthened." He added: "Considering that in the event of restrictions on international flights, part of the aircraft capacity will be utilized on domestic routes, strengthening routes leading to border areas becomes even more important."
The Director General of Marketing and Development of Foreign Tourism, recalling potential issues that may arise when traveling to foreign destinations, stated: "For example, a traveler intending to go to Istanbul may have to first go to Urmia and then be transported overland to Van, Turkey. This imposes more time and costs on travelers, which will create problems for both Iranian and foreign tourists."
Shajai expressed hope for strengthening transportation in border centers, referring to the situation of foreign tourists currently in Iran, saying: "To determine the number of foreign tourists present in the country, a census must be conducted. During the 40-day war, about 40,000 people were present in Mashhad, and accurate statistics need to be verified."
He concluded by saying: "These conditions may inflict heavy damage on tourism, but we hope that by strengthening transportation, communication problems will be reduced and the country will quickly overcome this situation."
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