Regional News

Official news agency of Iran Hotel Industry

Regional News

Iran suspends all commercial flights with India and Pakistan over COVID-19 variant

Iran on Saturday announced the halt of all flights to and from India and Pakistan until further notice over a COVID-19 variant to avert its spread in the already-stricken country. Given the high numbers of COVID-19 cases detected in India and Pakistan, the Islamic Republic has decided to suspend all direct and indirect passenger flights with the two upon the request of the Health Ministry, Mehr reported on Saturday. The ban, which takes effect at midnight local time on Saturday according to Iran’s civil aviation organization, the report said. Health Minister Saeed Namaki has asked the interior minister to “halt the direct and indirect transport of travelers from India”, Iranian media reported. India on Thursday recorded the world's highest daily tally of 314,835 COVID-19 infections amid fears about the ability to crumble health services to cope.

Create: Apr 24, 2021 Edit: Apr 24, 2021

Major Renovation Completed at Pueblo Bonito Mazatlan Beach Resort

Opened in 1987 as the very first Pueblo Bonito property, the celebrated Pueblo Bonito Mazatlán Beach Resort recently completed an extensive $27 million renovation project intended to boost the landmark hotel’s status as an international travel and hospitality industry leader. Located along the famous Zona Dorada, or Golden Zone of Mazatlan, the original Pueblo Bonito (“Beautiful Village”) hotel set the bar for luxury travel in Mazatlan more than 30 years ago, effectively launching one of the most successful resort brands in Mexico. The transformation pays homage to the hotel’s Old World charm while elevating all elements of the property, including totally upgraded guest suites, restaurants, lobbies, and pools. The remodeling and renovation project has also greatly enhanced the building’s exterior and amenities while retaining the unique appeal of a hotel that been a favorite of guests for decades. “We are very excited to have undertaken this major renovation, which has revitalized, revamped, and reinvented the pioneer resort of the Pueblo Bonito collection,” said Alberto Coppel, CEO, Pueblo Bonito Golf and Spa Resorts. “Our beloved Pueblo Bonito Mazatlan has retained its charm, while attaining a new level of luxury, enhancing the already unique experience our guests have always treasured.” Coppel added, “The early success of this property—the best resort in town from the day it opened—allowed Pueblo Bonito Resorts to expand to Los Cabos. This renovation is our way of giving back to Mazatlan a little bit of what Mazatlan has given to us.” All accommodations, totaling 248 guest suites, were completely remodeled, with new artwork and fresh touches added throughout the property. A new restaurant was added, Pescados, a casually elegant space that serves fresh sashimi, maki, nigiri and sushi. The dining outpost doubles as a snack bar during the day. In addition, a new oceanfront bar was also installed, while Cilantro’s restaurant was totally reimagined. Las Palomas restaurant was also redesigned and expanded. This popular dining spot features new décor finishes and furniture. For business groups and small conventions, new meeting facilities capable of accommodating up to 300 attendees were built. The resort now offers beautiful, outdoor event space next to the swimming pool. From enhanced cleaning protocols to new contactless services, Pueblo Bonito Mazatlan has taken all of the necessary steps to ensure the safety of guests and team members alike, through the company’s own CARE Pledge. CARE translates to Conscientious Service, Advanced Standards, Rigorous Sanitation, Elevated Hygiene. On-site testing services are available at all Pueblo Bonito Resort properties so that guests can easily comply with CDC requirements that travelers get a viral test within three days of flying to the U.S. Testing services are included with all-inclusive packages for stays of three nights or longer.

Create: Apr 24, 2021 Edit: Apr 24, 2021

324 eco-lodge units come on stream in Kerman

The director-general of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts Department of Kerman province has said 324 eco-lodge units have been inaugurated in this province until the end of the past Iranian calendar year (March 19). In an interview with IRNA on Tuesday, Fereydoun Fa'ali added: "Last year, nine eco-lodge units were inaugurated, increasing the accommodation capacity of Kerman province. Also, 10 agreements in principle were issued to launch eco-lodge units." Referring to the efforts made to improve the quality of ecotourism services in the province, the official went on to say: "A short-term tourism course was held attended by 30 persons to empower local communities.” "Meanwhile, seven courses for the empowerment of tourism workers and five short-term tourism courses were held, in which 205 and 95 managers and employees of tourism facilities in this province attended, respectively", he continued. Building two hotels and an apartment hotel was one of the most important activities of the department in the last year, he said. “Moreover, 122,496 people visited tourist attractions of this province last year, of whom 3,434 were foreign tourists. The tourism industry has suffered a lot from the coronavirus, however, during the last year we tried to support the tourism sector against the damage caused by the pandemic. With seven world-registered monuments, 700 national monuments, and thousands of historical and natural attractions Kerman province is one of the important tourist destinations in the country.

Create: Apr 24, 2021 Edit: Apr 24, 2021

Caravanserais, Asbads in South Khorasan eye World Heritage status

The process of preparing four caravanserais and Asbads (ancient vertical-axis windmills) in South Khorasan province is being carried out and the UNESCO assessors are projected to visit the sites by mid-May to register them in the World Heritage list. UNESCO assessors will travel to Iran for a final evaluation, and we hope to see the province's fifth property inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list this year, Hassan Ramezani, director-general of Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Department of South Khorasan said on Wednesday, ILNA reported. Located in eastern Iran, South Khorasan province is home to many historical and natural attractions such as Birjand Castle, Dragon Cave, Furg Citadel, and Polond Desert. It is also known for its famous rugs as well as its saffron and barberry which are produced in almost all parts of the province. Asbad used to be a smart technique to grind grains. It also bears testimony to the human being’s adaption with nature by transforming environmental obstacles into opportunities. Iran plans to register a wide collection of its Asbads in different provinces on the UNESCO World Heritage list. The architectural spaces of these caravanserais include entrance porches, cells, docks, stables, water reservoirs, and the royal sitting hall, and in some caravanserais, impressive and very beautiful brick decorations have been used, and this architectural style and characteristics have made these works valuable." We are trying to prioritize the excavations of Kaleh Koob site in the form of joint studies with foreign groups through the Cultural Heritage Research Institute so that we can use modern Iranian methods in exploring this site." He explained the province's progress plans in the field of cultural heritage and said: "We have some research work in the field of very rich and valuable areas of South Khorasan which we continue them to reach a clear result. One of them is the ancient site of "Kaleh Koob" around the city of Sarayan, where we have done three seasons of archeological excavations so far, and there are artifacts and remains that date back to the late Neolithic to the Bronze Age.” He continued: "We are trying to prioritize the excavations of Kaleh Koob site in the form of joint studies with foreign groups through the Cultural Heritage Research Institute so that we can use up-to-date Iranian methods in excavating this site." He also pointed out that so far three seasons of archeological excavations and speculation operations have been carried out in the area of "Takhcherabad", noting: "During the study of architectural works and evidence obtained, in the opinion of many of my colleagues and experts and archaeologists, the antiquity of this hill, which is located around Birjand, can be traced back to the Median period in terms of architecture and history. Therefore, we definitely need to continue the exploration operations in this area so that we can achieve more accurate and scientifically sound results." Ramezani pointed out: "In the field of restoration, fortunately, the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism, and especially the Deputy Minister of Cultural Heritage, Dr. Talebian, had a good view and also a good knowledge and domination of the historical capacities of South Khorasan, which has made us now one of the leading provinces in the field of buildings that are being restored with the participation of owners and the private sector, and we are even restoring a large number of historical buildings with the participation of owners and the private sector." The official underlined: "Following this process, a number of historical monuments in the province will be restored this year from our partnership funds. In addition, in the field of urban and rural historical textures, due to the number of nationally registered valuable textures, this year we will also see the continuation of restoration works in the walls of the passages, flooring, and restoration of single buildings in the area of historical textures." Ramezani also announced: "By mid-May, the process of launching the Museum of Clothing and Textiles of South Khorasan, which has been completed by the private sector at the historical house "Pardeli" in Birjand, and will be put into operation during the cultural heritage week."

Create: Apr 24, 2021 Edit: Apr 24, 2021

Tehran, Zagreb underline need to enhance tourism ties

The Iranian ambassador in Zagreb Parviz Esmaili met with Croatian Tourism and Sports Minister Nikolina Berniats, emphasizing the need to implement the previously signed agreements, IRIB reported. Extensive historical, cultural, and natural capacities of the two countries, as well as cultural commonalities and friendship between the two nations were underlined as basic components for the development of cooperation in the tourism sector. Specialized tourism in the fields of health, nature, and technology was also among the areas discussed by the two sides. The two sides agreed to launch a joint tourism working group between Iran and Croatia soon. In the field of sports, it was decided that the parties will put a memorandum of understanding on the agenda to set the general framework for cooperation. The mutual assistance of the two countries in modernizing the structure of some sports such as swimming and wrestling, exchange of coaches and athletes, joint camps as well as scientific-sports cooperation were emphasized by both sides.

Create: Apr 24, 2021 Edit: Apr 24, 2021

First boutique hotel in Sistan-Baluchestan to be inaugurated

The first boutique hotel in the southeastern province of Sistan-Baluchestan will soon be put into operation. Mojtaba Mir-Hosseini, the deputy director of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts Department of Sistan-Baluchestan said that the first boutique hotel in the province will be opened in the historical citadel of General Mohammad Hosseini Khan Narui, located in the village of Qala-e-Naw, Zahak city. The monument has been repaired and restored at the cost of 21 billion rials (about $500,000 at the official rate of 42,000 rials) and is scheduled to be put into operation by the end of April. He said: "Construction of the courtyard wall, implementation of flooring and landscaping behind the building, construction of pavilions, WCs, separation of the walls of the citadel, implementation of access stairs to the upper floor, repair, restoration and equipment inside the citadel, including renovation of living rooms, kitchen, management rooms, handicraft salesrooms as well as installation of doors and windows of spaces, repair of internal stairs and correction of the height of stairs, landscaping, and parking in the space behind the citadel, etc. are among the ongoing measures.” Mir-Hosseini added: "In fact, boutique hotels are hotels that display the rich history, tradition, and culture of the region, and such hotels are more popular among foreign tourists and are considered as tourist attractions."

Create: Apr 19, 2021 Edit: Apr 19, 2021

Tourism projects create over 1,700 jobs in West Azarbaijan

In the past Iranian year (ended March 19), 1,767 jobs were created by investing in tourism-related projects in the northwestern West Azarbaijan province. “The largest number of jobs is related to the issuance of licenses for handicraft producers, which has led to the employment of 549 persons,” Jalil Jabbari, director-general of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Department of West Azarbaijan said, IRNA reported on Friday. In the year ended in March 2020, some 312 job opportunities created by tourism development projects, he added. Jabbari went on to say that 112 jobs have been created through projects implemented by the private sector and 30 jobs have been created through renovating national and world heritage sites in the province. Part of the activities of the department in the past year has been focused on documenting, exploring, demarcating, layering and studying historical monuments, he said, adding, “this has created employment for 466 persons." Jabbari concluded that 30 jobs have been created in the accommodation and hospitality sector, six in the ecotourism accommodation sector, 34 in the travel services offices, and 35 in the handicraft production units.

Create: Apr 18, 2021 Edit: Apr 18, 2021

Some $4.2m paid to corona-affected tourism, handicraft units in Zanjan

More than 180 billion rials (about $4.2 million at the official rate of 42,000 rials) in loans has been paid to tourism and handicraft businesses affected by the coronavirus pandemic in Zanjan province. Amir Arjmand, the director-general of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Department of Zanjan said the financial facilities were paid within the framework of 547 projects to the businesses having 1,500 employed persons, IRNA reported on Saturday. He also noted that 623 units were introduced to receive the facilities in the province, of which 76 cases were related to the field of tourism and 547 cases were related to the field of handicrafts. "So far, the tourism units of the province that have succeeded in receiving corona facilities include travel and tourism services offices, eco-lodges, hotels and welfare, and intermediate service complexes." The official also said: "Identifying, training, paying facilities and supporting activists in the field of handicrafts and tourism facilities of the cities with the purpose of boosting production in this area and creating employment is our priority this year." Despite the difficult situations due to the coronavirus, the development of handicraft workshops, the development of tourism facilities, and the increase in the issuance of licenses for handicrafts and travel services and ecotourism offices were considered last year.

Create: Apr 18, 2021 Edit: Apr 18, 2021

Iran suspends flights to and from France

All flights to and from France have been suspended due to the outbreak of the coronavirus, the spokesman of Iran’s Civil Aviation Organization (CAO) has announced. Flights to and from 39 countries with special conditions are also canceled until further notice, Mohammad Hassan Zibakhsh said on Wednesday. However, Iran’s flag carrier IranAir is set to resume flights to and from the United Kingdom after months of suspension imposed to curb the spread of a novel coronavirus variant into the Islamic Republic, the official added. Back in February, Iran suspended flights to and from 32 countries including Angola, Bolivia, Botswana, Burundi, Cape Verde, Chile, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ecuador, Eswatini, French Guinea, Lesotho, Guyana, Malawi, Mauritania, Mauritania, Rwanda, Sicily, Suriname, Tanzania, Uruguay, Venezuela, and Zambia. Earlier, Iran announced it would reduce the validity of negative COVID-19 PCR test results from 96 hours to 72 hours for inbound and outbound passengers. The new regulation replaced a role that required to bar passengers from boarding if they do not have a negative COVID test within 96 hours of departure. All passengers are subject to the medical screening on arrival, and if they are suspected of having the disease, non-Iranian nationalities will be quarantined at a place specified by the Health Ministry at their own expense and Iranian citizens will need to self-isolate for 14 days. The worldwide outbreak of COVID-19 has brought the world to a standstill, and tourism has been the worst affected of all major economic sectors. World tourist arrivals fell by 72% over the first ten months of 2020, according to data compiled by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) in December. Restrictions on travel, low consumer confidence, and a global struggle to contain the coronavirus pandemic are amongst factors contributing to the worst year on record in the history of tourism. Iran has also suffered the same fate as its foreign arrivals plunged 72% during the first eight months of 2020 when compared to 2019.

Create: Apr 15, 2021 Edit: Apr 15, 2021

Iranian Tour Operators Association pursues tourist visas resumption

Iranian Tour Operators Association is formulating a proposal for the resumption of tourist visas after months of suspension amid strict government measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus. “Iranian visas are being granted to medical tourists… and we have requested the Foreign Ministry to issue the same permits for the applicants of other tourism arenas,” ISNA quoted Ebrahim Pourfaraj who presides the association, as saying on Monday. “In a meeting with Seyyed Kazem Sajjadi, the deputy Foreign Minister for Consular, Parliamentary, and Expatriates Affairs, I was supposed to provide some information and a plan for re-issuing [tourist] visas,” he explained. The veteran expert has asked the government to issue tourist visas for the international applicants who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19. “The Ministry of Health and the National Headquarters for Coronavirus Control can at least agree that the international tourists who have received the [second dose of] coronavirus vaccine would be allowed to enter Iran.” Last month, he lamented that the continuation of such a trend would result in losing international tourist markets more than before. “Or at least they should make it clear so that we can respond appropriately to foreign companies and tourists to not to miss the international tourist markets more than before.” Pourfaraj believes that the reasonable prices of Iran tours are expected to bring back the boom into the tourism sector of the country in the post coronavirus era. “Attractive tour plans are also being prepared for those who are eager to explore the historical attractions and natural wonders of the ancient country and want to experience a vacation here.” Pourfaraj also expressed hope that international tour operators and companies who have worked with their Iranian counterparts for years, would put Iran back on the world’s travel route again, considering the facilities they can get at cheaper prices than in other countries. Last November, the World Tourism Organization announced that international tourist arrivals to Iran plunged 72% during the first eight months of 2020 when compared to 2019, highlighting the severe impact of COVID-19 as the main factor. Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts Minister Ali-Asghar Mounesan in October warned that Iran’s cultural heritage and tourism will be in a critical situation if the crises caused by the outbreak of the coronavirus continue. Last August, Mounesan said that Iran’s tourism has suffered a loss of 12 trillion rials (some $2.85 billion) since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic. Furthermore, the minister also noted that the coronavirus pandemic should not bring traveling to a complete standstill. “Corona is a fact, but can the virus stop tourism? Certainly not. For us, the coronavirus is a new experience in dealing with crises that teaches tourism experts around the world how to deal with such a disaster, and thankfully governments are turning this into an opportunity for better planning.” Smart and responsible traveling should replace "do not travel” recommendations, the minister stressed, adding: “In our country, Corona has caused problems in the tourism industry and the worrying point is the continuation of this trend.” “We are well aware of what the National Headquarters for Coronavirus Control proclaims [the health protocols], hence as a proposal, we have formulated some smart, responsible travel packages by the implementation of which we could have secure travels,” the minister said. He has repeatedly announced that his ministry is in full coordination with the Ministry of Health for strictly implementing health protocols in travel destinations, hospitably centers, and museums, amongst others, underlining that “people’s health is our priority.” The ancient land embraces hundreds of historical sites such as bazaars, museums, mosques, bridges, bathhouses, madrasas, mausoleums, churches, towers, and mansions, of which 24 being inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list. Under the 2025 Tourism Vision Plan, the country aims to increase the number of tourist arrivals from 4.8 million in 2014 to 20 million in 2025.

Create: Apr 15, 2021 Edit: Apr 15, 2021

Iran to resume UK flights as of May 6

Iran’s flag carrier IranAir is set to resume flights to and from the United Kingdom as of May 6 after months of suspension imposed to curb the spread of a novel coronavirus variant into the Islamic Republic. “IranAir will resume flights between Tehran and London on May 6,” IRNA quoted Hossein Jahani, who presides over the airline’s public relations department, as saying on Sunday. Jahani said the flights to London will be operated on Sundays and Thursdays every week due to the lifting of the COVID-19 restrictions in the UK. In December, the Islamic Republic halted flights to and from the United Kingdom, preliminary for two weeks, and then the ban was initially extended for one month at the discretion of the Health Ministry to prevent the transmission of the ‘British’ variant and to try to maintain public health. At that time, an ensuing wave of travel bans cut off UK travelers from much of Europe and other parts of the world. Some experts believed that there was no evidence the new variant was more deadly or would react differently to vaccines, but it was proving to be up to 70% more transmissible.

Create: Apr 15, 2021 Edit: Apr 15, 2021

French, German archaeologists expected to resume excavations in northeast Iran

The tourism chief of Iran’s North Khorasan has announced plans to resume several excavations across the northeastern province using the expertise of archaeological teams from France and Germany. “Joint archaeological excavations with German archaeologists are planned to resume across Tepe Rivi if the coronavirus situation allows,” ILNA quoted Habib Yazdanpanah as saying on Saturday. “Moreover, we have are perusing to restart work on the historical town of Faruj with the presence of French archaeologists,” the official said. Last October, experts from the Louvre and the University of Tehran were granted a license to conduct a new round of excavation on the ancient town of Faruj. “Experts from the University of Tehran and the Louvre museum in Paris will conduct a new season of archeological excavation in the ruined city of Faruj with a permit obtained from the Research Institute of Cultural Heritage & Tourism,” according to Iranian archaeologist Meysam Labbaf-Khaniki. In the same year, experts from the Louvre and the University of Tehran unearthed the ramparts and towers of an ancient fortress, believed to date from the times of Parthians (247 BC – 224 CE) in Viran-Shahr near Faruj. Furthermore, teams of Iranian and German archaeologists have completed several archaeological seasons across Tepe Rivi, which has so far revealed magnificent remains of the Bronze Age up to the Sassanid period. Archaeological research works in Rivi started in 2012. Since then archaeologists accessed remains of settlements from the Bronze and Iron Age, the Achaemenid, the Parthian, the Sassanid dynasties, and the early Islamic period. The previous rounds of research had been hired various experts in archeology, geography, geophysics, geomorphology, and ecology who took part from the [Ludwig Maximilian] University of Munich; the [Free] University of Berlin; the University of Tehran; and Shahid Beheshti University, the report said. Based on the studies, various architectural and archaeological evidence from the Parthian and the Sassanid era were discovered in the Rivi site, which is situated in Maneh-Samalqan county of modern North Khorasan. The evidence, according to Mohammad-Javad Jafari who headed the fifth season of archaeological excavation at Rivi site, indicates the sequence of settlement in the area in the aftermath of the Achaemenid era, according to the Archaeology News Network. In 2019, several historical clay stamps, estimated to date from the Achaemenid and Parthian eras, were discovered in the ancient site. “The seals were found alongside clay urns in a large hall and the seals are imprinted in a variety of geometric patterns [depicting] plants, animals, and human figures. Studying the findings can yield valuable information on the economy, culture, and arts of the ancient societies,” Jafari said. These stamps represent the widespread and complicated economic relations that people of the time had with other communities in such a way that made them bring together and store goods.” Evidence suggests that residents of this area sealed the urns that were loaded with particular goods then tied them with ropes, the archaeologist said. The history of Khorasan stretches back to very ancient times. It was part of the Achaemenian Empire of the 6th to 4th century BC and the Parthian empire, which spanned from the 3rd century BC to the 3rd century CE.

Create: Apr 11, 2021 Edit: Apr 11, 2021