THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN IRANIAN CULTURAL HERITAGE, HANDICRAFTS AND TOURISM ORGANIZATION (ICHTO) DATA COLLECTION SURVEY ON TOURISM AND CULTURAL HERITAGE IN THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN FINAL REPORT FEBRUARY 2018 JAPAN INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION AGENCY (JICA) HOKKAIDO UNIVERSITY JTB CORPORATE SALES INC. INGÉROSEC CORPORATION RECS INTERNATIONAL INC. 7R JR 18-006 JAPAN INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION AGENCY (JICA) DATA COLLECTION SURVEY ON TOURISM AND CULTURAL HERITAGE IN THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN FINAL REPORT TABLE OF CONTENTS Abbreviations ............................................................................................................................ v Maps ........................................................................................................................................ vi Photos (The 1st Field Survey) ................................................................................................. vii Photos (The 2nd Field Survey) ............................................................................................... viii Photos (The 3rd Field Survey) .................................................................................................. ix List of Figures and Tables ........................................................................................................ x 1. Outline of the Survey ....................................................................................................... 1 (1) Background and Objectives ...................................................................................... 1 1) Background of the Survey ................................................................................. 1 2) Objectives of the Survey ................................................................................... 1 3) Target Area ....................................................................................................... 2 4) Counterpart ....................................................................................................... 2 (2) Implementation Schedule ......................................................................................... 2 1) Work Plan.......................................................................................................... 2 2) Mission Schedule .............................................................................................. 3 3) Meetings held during the Mission in Iran ........................................................... 6 2. Socio-Economic Condition in Iran .................................................................................. 17 (1) Economic Conditions in Iran ................................................................................... 17 (2) Social Condition in Iran........................................................................................... 19 (3) Socio-Economic Indicators ..................................................................................... 20 (4) Trends in Exports and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) ......................................... 21 (5) National Economic Development Plan in Iran ........................................................ 22 3. Current Status of Tourism Resources in Iran ................................................................. 23 (1) Tourism resources in Iran ....................................................................................... 23 (2) Features and Issues of Tourism Resources in Iran ................................................ 24 1) Typological Analysis of Tourism Resources ................................................... 24 2) Typology of Tourism Resources in Iran .......................................................... 25 3) Features of each Type of Tourism Resource and Development Issue ........... 27 (3) Current Status of Cultural Heritage in Iran (Tangible / Intangible Heritage) ........... 31 (4) Current Status of National Park and Natural Heritage in Iran ................................. 32 (5) Festivals in Iran ...................................................................................................... 33 i (6) Other Tourism Resources (Handicraft, Cuisine) ..................................................... 33 1) Traditional Handicrafts .................................................................................... 33 2) Cuisine ............................................................................................................ 34 4. Institutional Framework for Tourism Sector Development in Iran .................................. 36 (1) Higher Plans concerning Tourism Development in Iran ......................................... 36 (2) Organizations Related to Tourism Development in Iran ......................................... 37 1) Governmental Organizations .......................................................................... 38 2) Private Organizations ...................................................................................... 43 3) Current Status of Public-Private Partnership in the Tourism Sector ............... 46 4) Current Status of Public Participation in the Tourism Development ............... 48 (3) Current Status of Legal Framework for Tourism Sector Development ................... 49 1) Immigration Control (VISA System) ................................................................ 49 2) Private Sector Development ........................................................................... 49 3) Tourism Resource Management ..................................................................... 51 (4) Current Status of Human Resource Development ................................................. 53 (5) Donor Assistance for Tourism Development .......................................................... 53 1) Assistance by the Japanese Government ....................................................... 54 2) Assistance by Donors ..................................................................................... 56 5. Current Status of Tourism Infrastructure in Iran ............................................................. 59 (1) Transportation ........................................................................................................ 59 1) Aviation ........................................................................................................... 59 2) Road Condition ............................................................................................... 61 3) Bus .................................................................................................................. 61 4) Taxi ................................................................................................................. 63 5) Railway............................................................................................................ 63 (2) Information and Telecommunications ..................................................................... 66 (3) Others (Security, Sanitary and Medical Conditions) ............................................... 66 6. Trends of Tourists in Iran ............................................................................................... 67 (1) Trends of Tourists from Foreign Countries ............................................................. 67 (2) Trends of Japanese Market .................................................................................... 68 (3) Trends of Tourists by Tourist Sites ......................................................................... 68 (4) Trends of Domestic Market .................................................................................... 70 (5) Seasonality ............................................................................................................. 70 7. Current Status of Tourism related Industry in Iran ......................................................... 72 (1) Airline Companies .................................................................................................. 72 (2) Tour Operators ....................................................................................................... 73 1) Tourism Products ............................................................................................ 74 2) Online Reservations ........................................................................................ 74 ii 3) Domestic Tours ............................................................................................... 74 (3) Hotels and Restaurants .......................................................................................... 75 1) Hotels in Tehran .............................................................................................. 75 2) Boutique Hotels in Regional Area ................................................................... 76 3) Bumgardi ......................................................................................................... 76 4) Restaurants ..................................................................................................... 76 (4) Tour guide .............................................................................................................. 77 (5) MICE....................................................................................................................... 78 8. Challenges Facing Development of the Tourism Sector in Iran ..................................... 79 (1) Issues on the Tourism Industry in Iran ..................................................................