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Sep 5, 2005
Previously, leading Iranian tour operators have taken part at this exhibition as individual entities. However, a dozen Iranian companies as well as regional representatives and government tourism officials will be found on a single stand during the World Travel Market week, which will be held from November 14 to 17 at ExCeL in London, England.
Iran’s delegation for this year’s event will include representatives from a number of key provinces, such as Lorestan, a region of outstanding natural beauty offering eco-tourism and soft adventure, and Fars, a center of exceptional architectural treasures. Tehran-based Pasargad Tours, an eight-year veteran of the event, has been handed the job of coordinating Iran’s appearance.
Pasargad marketing director Parvaneh Sattari said a decision to combine the resources of the Iran Tourism Board and the Department of Cultural Heritage under the new umbrella group, the Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization of Iran, heralded the country’s renewed determination to make an impact on international tourism. “Iran is not about mass tourism, nor a sun and sea destination,” said Sattari. “Iran is a cultural tourism destination attracting mature, well educated and well-traveled people who still want to come and see the country despite the bad publicity received by our country in the international press.”
This development has been welcomed by Fiona Jeffery, Group Exhibition Director. “The attraction of World Travel Market is that it really is global and can reach out to countries that have not been thought of as holiday destinations in the past. This is how many other destinations have built a new and different reputation as a unique place to visit,” Jeffery explains.
World Travel Market organizers are forecasting that this year’s edition will be more than four percent larger than last year’s, with about 193 countries participating.
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