Ardebil, Aug 9, IRNA - A senior Iranian tourism official said in this north eastern Iranian city on Tuesday that the number of foreign tourists visiting Iran has grown by 12 percent in the past three years.


Speaking in a local gathering, an official with Iran's Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization Mohsen Ranjbar said the number has increased only by three percent over the same period at international level.

Ranjbar added the government's proper planning has prepared the ground for prosperity of the country's tourism industry.

Touching upon the recognition of one million historical sites across Iran, he said only 32,000 of the sites have been registered in the country of which only 21 have been registered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

Ranjbar added flourishing of the tourism industry would decrease the country's reliance on oil revenues.

Describing tourism as a profitable industry in advanced countries, he added tourism's resources are various and infinite.

Iran is a country with high potential in tourism industry. Statistics show that the country is currently ranked 15th in terms of tourist attractions in the world.

By IRNA