Sanctions Lifted, American Tourists Head to Iran

[yota691]

Sanctions Lifted, American Tourists Head to Iran In Transit By ELAINE GLUSAC FEB. 8, 2016 The lifting of sanctions on Iran set in motion by the nuclear agreement reached last fall has opened the virtual floodgates to tourists, and especially American tourists, according to tour operators who are racing to add new departures and selling them in record time. “It’s similar to Cuba in my mind where suddenly it’s both O.K. to go there officially but also with travelers thinking this place is going to change,” said Barbara Banks, director of marketing and new trip development at the Berkeley, Calif.­based Wilderness Travel, which sold out its spring trip to Iran and is planning a fall trip focused on the saffron harvest. “They want to experience the destination before it gets watered down by lots and lots of people going.” Tourism in Iran is already popular with Europeans. Iranian officials told The Associated Press last fall that about five million foreign travelers visited Iran in 2014, and that the country aims to attract 20 million tourists, spending $30 billion, by 2025. Among growth signs, Air France recently announced that it plans to start three flights weekly between Paris and Tehran beginning in April. Already Iran is a one­stop destination from New York via Istanbul, Dubai or Doha on Turkish Airlines, Emirates or Qatar Airways. Iran hosts some of the world’s oldest cultural monuments, including 19 Unesco World Heritage Sites, and its varied terrain ranges from desert locales to ski resorts. “It’s just extraordinarily beautiful, and the sites are as magnificent as any you can find in the world,” said William O. Beeman, a professor and chairman of the anthropology department at the University of Minnesota and an expert in Iran. “Isfahan is comparable to Machu Picchu or Angkor Wat. These are major centers of civilization that have been lovingly restored.” He plans to take 14 travelers to Iran in June on a sold­out trip organized by Iran Luxury Travel, a two­year­old company in North Carolina. Steve Kutay, a former importer, founded Iran Luxury Travel in his retirement “as a good thing to do,” he said, in terms of encouraging people­to­people diplomacy (trips start at $2,995 a person, double occupancy for eight days). “One of the biggest surprises about Iran is that they love Americans,” he said. “They hear you speak English and assume you’re British, and when they learn you’re American they want to have their picture taken with you and invite you to eat. I’ve never been so popular.” In response to an increase in inquiries, the Seattle­based Mir Corporation, which has been operating in Iran for 15 years, has added new train trips and small group departures in the country this year, for a total of about 10 different trips. “We’d seen it for a while but as people become comfortable with Iran on the world scene, they think it may be a good time to do something they may have wanted to do for a while,” said Annie Lucas, vice president at Mir. “We feel there’s pent­up demand on the part of intrepid travelers.” This year, Britain­based Golden Eagle Luxury Trains, which has run tours via sleeper trains in Iran since 2014, reports that Americans account for 88 percent of its passengers in Iran, compared with about 50 percent in previous years. The company has added a 2016 departure between Moscow and Tehran over 18 days in addition to its 14­day Heart of Persia tour that includes Isfahan, notable for its Islamic architecture; Shiraz, known for its gardens; and Persepolis, ancient ceremonial center of the Achaemenid Empire. Mountain Travel Sobek has run two trips to Iran each year for the last three, and has more recently added private departures. Some operators who waited for political clearance to go into Iran are now organizing departures. Norman Howe, president of the luxury tour operator Butterfield & Robinson, said inquiries about Iran began spiking the last few months. The company is organizing several private trips and hopes to run a small group trip in November, to be regularly scheduled come 2017. His clients “were waiting for Iran to normalize and they want to get there before the crowds,” he said. Where to lodge the growing numbers of travelers may pose the challenge to the country even though Iran’s PressTV reported a dozen new hotels had been built in the past two years, and AccorHotels opened two hotels in Tehran in October. “The issue now for us as a tour operator is there aren’t enough hotels,” said Ms. Lucas of Mir, who noted that some of the hotels in areas beyond the big cities are worn out. “There’s overdemand and not enough supply and with the increase in interest, it’s quite an issue.” The U.S. State Department still officially discourages travel to Iran, and there are other practical challenges to traveling there. American travelers must obtain a visa before traveling to Iran, a fairly straightforward process, according to tour operators, but a slow one that can run to months, limiting spontaneous travel. Americans in Iran must also be accompanied by a guide. Banking restrictions, which largely bar the use of credit cards and A.T.M.s, force travelers to bring cash. In keeping with Islamic rules, women must cover their hair and dress conservatively, including no closefitting clothes. Men, too, cannot wear shorts. There are other inconveniences, Ms. Lucas said: “The infrastructure is not perfect, but it’s pretty good.The roads are decent. No alcohol can be roughing it for some people. The public bathrooms are not on par with what people would like. But the caliber of attractions and guides balance it out.”

[nannab]

I couldn't even imagine going there of all places. Each to his own

I guess.

[Candy01]

AMEN nannab!!

 

[djgabrielie1]

Floodgates... ha. I can't think of what would be fascinating to see in Iraq. Paris definitly, but Iran, No Way.

[Jaxinjersey]

Better keep your mouth shut, dress "appropriately", and give up your human rights... or you'll just be a target, if not ultimately a hostage.  Did anyone notice this article didn't touch upon the danger?!!!  If you're idiot enough to travel there, especially as an American... don't whine to the State Department or Embassy when you need help.  I could go on... 

[gymrat76541]

WHEN these fools get arrested - DO NOT help them!

[moose 57]

Like Forrest Gump said "stupid is as stupid does"!!!

[10 YEARS LATER]

Essentially, Americans [ who stupidly go to Iran ] are paying to go get themselves Kidnapped & Imprisoned [ become "guests" of the Iranian Govt.; while "they sort out this terrible mess ],  for a to be determined length of time. Theeeen . . . Iran gets the USA Government or families to pay a ransom - then release the knucklehead in question - presumably. 

 

Iran shamelessly promotes [ in these troubled times ] the releases as good will gestures, extorts $$$ from the Govt. or families; further reducing the already rock bottom status of the USA as appeasers and circus bear roll overs. 

 

WOW, now that's entrepreneurship !!! Good to have goals.

[utah rock]

Glad this isn't a political forum and it's all about the MONEY!!!! Love Obama, love freedom, guess that means tolerate varying opinions. 

 

GO RV!!!!!!

[SgtFuryUSCZ]

***///

 

more American "tourists" held hostage in Iran means more room here for

ho'bummer's radical islamist jihadi brotherhood pals.

 

he probably put that in the nuke agreement along with every other damned concession he had no right to. 

[yota691]

Not to get off the Subject beside loading up to Iran, kind of strange Super Bowl 50 was sponsored by Turkish Air... 

Super Bowl commercial for Turkish Airlines- Batman vs. Superman

[TheArtistFormallyKnownAs]

Better keep your mouth shut, dress "appropriately", and give up your human rights... or you'll just be a target, if not ultimately a hostage.  Did anyone notice this article didn't touch upon the danger?!!!  If you're idiot enough to travel there, especially as an American... don't whine to the State Department or Embassy when you need help.  I could go on... 

Human rights? target? , try youtubing or googling "targeted individual" , there are more then 300.000 of them in the US, all non criminals , and victims of state sponsored overt harassment , and some are even being attacked with electronic weapons, (youtube electronic harassment). You should purchase the book "Guinea pigs ,technologies of control" by Dr John Hall.

[Jaxinjersey]

Human rights? target? , try youtubing or googling "targeted individual" , there are more then 300.000 of them in the US, all non criminals , and victims of state sponsored overt harassment , and some are even being attacked with electronic weapons, (youtube electronic harassment). You should purchase the book "Guinea pigs ,technologies of control" by Dr John Hall.

Thanks for the reply TAFKA.  I'm happy to research further on others' suggestions... but I have no idea what you are implying, as your perspective is a little cryptic...  300,000 of them WHO?  In what context?  Help me out a little... I don't have time to figure out what you're trying to say.  I'm talking about Iran, and other terrorist states.  

[TheArtistFormallyKnownAs]

Thanks for the reply TAFKA.  I'm happy to research further on others' suggestions... but I have no idea what you are implying, as your perspective is a little cryptic...  300,000 of them WHO?  In what context?  Help me out a little... I don't have time to figure out what you're trying to say.  I'm talking about Iran, and other terrorist states.  

No big deal , I was just saying that there are state sponsored human rights violations in the US too. 300.000 targeted individuals (victims of state sponsored covert harassment and attack) in the US. Dr John Halls other book is called "A new breed , satellite terrorism in America" ,innocent people are being attacked with electronic satellite based weapons 24/7-365 for life. They are both very good books. Even go on to youtube and put in targeted individual , or electronic harassment , or gang stalking (organized stalking). 

My point is America isn't perfect when it comes to human rights is all.

[calkid11]

Thank you

[Jaxinjersey]

No big deal , I was just saying that there are state sponsored human rights violations in the US too. 300.000 targeted individuals (victims of state sponsored covert harassment and attack) in the US. Dr John Halls other book is called "A new breed , satellite terrorism in America" ,innocent people are being attacked with electronic satellite based weapons 24/7-365 for life. They are both very good books. Even go on to youtube and put in targeted individual , or electronic harassment , or gang stalking (organized stalking). 

My point is America isn't perfect when it comes to human rights is all.

Ok, I see....  Of course the USA isn't perfect, but to take my statements and compare the USA to Iran is ludicrous... and frankly, perhaps another discussion for another thread.  And THAT discussion is very valid, especially within the context of our current administration.  We've already touched upon a lot of that in other discussions... maybe you should start another, based on your own statements above.  Thanks again for the reply.

[sandfly]

THANKS

[DinarThug]

THE ARTICLE SAID 'SANCTIONS LIFTED' - NOT 'THANKTIONS' LIFTED !

[SgtFuryUSCZ]

***///

 

Poor SANDFLY is getting THUGged hard here tonite !  

 

Hit him back, SANDFLY !       You can git him ... His footwork is lousy on accounta his giant Clown Shoes !