Iran, a global leader in handicrafts following India and China, ranks 31st worldwide, a position deemed inconsistent with its vast capabilities, said Samad Hassanzadeh, President of Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines, and Agriculture (ICCIMA).
Iran boasts 300 of the world's 400 recognized handicraft disciplines, but its performance in exporting these products fails to reflect this potential, Hassanzadeh said during a round-table of Iranian private sector operators with the Minister of Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism, Reza Salehi Amiri, in ICCIMA headquarters in Tehran on Tuesday.
He also criticized the country’s neglect of other economic opportunities like health tourism and its world-renowned carpet industry, emphasizing that tourism drives economic growth in many nations.
In response, the minister highlighted structural challenges hindering the tourism sector's expansion. The Minister stressed the need for private-sector involvement, especially in aviation, noting the inadequacy of Iran's aging fleet of 130 airplanes to support the planned growth to 15 million annual tourists by the end of the country’s seventh development plan.
Salehi Amiri also called for combating Iranophobia fueled by negative foreign propaganda. Despite this, surveys indicate that 85% of tourists traveling to Iran view the country as a safe, attractive, and beautiful destination after visiting.
Addressing health tourism, the minister said that some 1.2 million health tourists are now visiting Iran annually, with a target of 2 million under the development plan. However, he acknowledged that reaching these goals would require substantial investment in facilities and services.
Salehi Amiri concluded by advocating for reduced government intervention in economic activities, urging policymakers to focus on creating a supportive framework for private enterprises and further collaboration with Iran Chamber of Commerce to promote the tourism sector.