South Africa and Iran have held discussions on growing tourism relations between the two countries during Tourism Minister Derek Hanekom’s current working visit to Iran.

The Department of Tourism said in a statement here that Hanekom met his Iranian counterpart, Vice-President Dr Zahra Ahmadipour, as well as the head of the Iranian Cultural, Heritage, Handicraft and Tourism Organization on Tuesday.

Hanekom also engaged members of the tourism trade in Tehran to discuss ways of increasing tourist arrivals from Iran to South Africa.

We have a good base to work from and grow tourism between our countries. We have been very warmly received in Iran, and the government and tourism trade has responded very positively to our effort to promote further tourism ties,” the statement quoted him as saying.

We have a great opportunity to grow tourism between our countries, and we are working together with our Iranian counterparts to do this.”

Iran is among South Africa’s top three source markets for inbound tourists from the Middle East and more than 4,000 Iranian tourists visited South Africa in the first 11 months of 2016.

South Africa is among the most popular destinations in the world for Muslim travellers, according to the MasterCard-Crescent Rating Global Muslim Travel Index for 2016, which covers 130 global destinations.

About 117 million Muslim visitors travelled the world in 2015, representing 10 per cent of the entire travel market. This is expected to grow to 168 million visitors by 2020, according to the Index.

South Africa and Iran already have a strategic partnership that will benefit the people of both countries. The Department of Tourism is now working with their Iranian counterparts on finalising a Memorandum of Understanding on Tourism Co-operation, said Hanekom.

Source: NAM NEWS NETWORK