Report: Iran is Top Low-Cost Tourist Destination

Iran is the most attractive tourist destination in the world in terms of price competitiveness, one of the 14 indicators in the World Economic Forum’s Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Index. Price competitiveness measures purchasing power parity, the cost of access to transportation and hotel services, and fuel price levels.

The index also quantifies each country's enabling environment, travel and tourism policy, infrastructure, and natural and cultural resources to measure its attractiveness as a tourist destination. Iran ranks 97th out of 141 countries across all categories.

Iran has pushed to increase tourism over the past few years. Director of Iran’s Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization Masoud Soltanifar said the nation’s annual income from tourism is around $6.5 billion. But Iran plans to attract “20 million tourists by 2025, which will earn the country $30 billion [annually],” he said.
 
The following is excerpted data from the World Economic Forum Report.
 
 
Rank (out of 141)
Score (1-7)
Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Index
97
3.32
Enabling Environment
98
4.16
Business Environment
119
3.85
Safety and Security
96
4.89
Health and Hygiene
93
4.71
Human Resources and Labor Market
114
3.95
ICT Readiness
98
3.36
T&T Policy and Enabling Conditions
96
3.89
Prioritization of Travel & Tourism
130
3.35
International Openness
116
2.14
Price Competitiveness
1
6.62
Environmental Sustainability
115
3.47
Infrastructure
105
2.7
Air Transport Infrastructure
93
2.22
Ground and Port Infrastructure
76
3.28
Tourist Service Infrastructure
119
2.61
Natural and Cultural Resources
57
2.53
Natural Resources
98
2.48
Cultural Resources and Business Travel
37
2.59
 
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