During the meeting of the Tourism Commission of the Yazd Chamber with the presence of the Thai ambassador, it was stated that the Presence of Yazd and Thailand in ACD can help develop bilateral tourism.
The meeting of the Tourism Commission of the Yazd Chamber of Commerce was held with the presence of the ambassador and Commercial Attaché of Thailand and the accompanying delegation.
In this meeting, which was held with the presence of the commission members and tourism activists, ways to increase bilateral cooperation with Thailand in the field of tourism were discussed and exchanged views.
At the beginning of this meeting, the Head of the Tourism and Handicrafts Commission, while welcoming the Thai ambassador and the accompanying delegation, said that Yazd city is one of the registered World Heritage cities and due to its historical and cultural capacity, it is part of the golden triangle of tourism and one of the travel destinations for Iranians.”
Asghar Agha Nabil continued that Thailand, considering its capacities, is also one of the tourist destinations for Iranians, although tourists from Thailand have also come to Yazd; however, there is still room for improvement. Our request from the Thai delegation is to guide us on how we can attract more capacity from Thai tourism.”
He mentioned accommodation centers and ecotourism lodges as one of Yazd’s strengths and said: “Despite the fact that the people of Iran and Yazd are very hospitable; however, there is extensive negative propaganda against Iran. For this reason, Yazd and the Tourism Commission of the Chamber are ready to host fam tours, bloggers, and tour operators from Thailand to show the real Iran to the world and be good ambassadors for Yazd tourism.”
Nabil emphasized that currently, in the discussion of tourism, the situation is in favor of Thailand; however, we hope that with the cooperation that is defined and the agreements that can be made, Thais will also come to Yazd and this balance will become positive.”
Using Thailand’s Experiences in Attracting Tourists
Morteza Bazrafshan, secretary of the Tourism Commission of the Yazd Chamber of Commerce, also presented a report at this meeting regarding the strategies and approaches that can be considered for the development of tourism relations between the two countries.
Bazrafshan emphasized that Yazd, considering its structure and capabilities, has been registered globally and is the capital of sustainable cities in the world. This city is located in the center of the Silk Road, and its integrated historical texture is unique.”
Referring to the existing strategies for developing tourism relations between the two countries, he proposed that the operational plan for each sector also be discussed.
The Secretary of the Tourism Commission of the Yazd Chamber continued: “In general, there are 4 groups of stakeholders in the discussion of tourism: accommodation centers, tour guides, travel agencies and offices, and educational centers. In the field of traditional residences, hotels, guesthouses, and ecotourism, it is suggested we use Thailand’s knowledge and experiences in attracting tourists, as well as its standardization. Investment in hotels in both countries is another suggested case.”
Regarding travel service offices, he referred to the exchange of tourists and the creation of joint online systems for tour reservations, advertising and promotion of travel agency services on platforms and social networks, as well as holding ecotourism and nature tourism tours.
Educational centers were another point that Bazrafshan emphasized, saying: “Holding workshops, courses, and meetings for the exchange of knowledge, as well as strengthening language skills and developing online training courses and cooperation between Iranian universities and educational centers with Thai universities for the exchange of interns, especially in the hospitality and protocol sector, can be considered.”
Bazrafshan also pointed to the role of governments in advancing goals and stated: “The issue of visa issuance and the ease of travel for citizens of the two countries can be a good development in this direction.”
Digital marketing, holding various cultural and sports events and festivals were also among the points mentioned.
Efforts to Exchange Tourism
The director-general of cultural heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts of Yazd Province said: “Yazd has been selected as the tourism capital of the Asian Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) countries, and considering that Thailand is also a member of this forum, we hope to witness the development of tourism between the two countries, especially Yazd province.”
Seyed Mohammad Rastegari continued: “Yazd has 11 globally registered sites. There is a unique historical texture both in the center of the province and in the cities. Also, Iranian gardens, caravanserais, and qanats are unique attractions in the heart of Yazd. Given the capacities that exist in Yazd, we hope that with the solutions provided and the experiences exchanged, we will witness the development of tourism by signing a memorandum of understanding between the two countries. We are also trying to create the conditions for the presence of Thai tourists in Yazd province.”
Gazanfar Amirjalili, Vice President of the Yazd Chamber of Commerce, also stated at this meeting that the Yazd Chamber of Commerce is a supporter of the tourism sector, adding: “I hope you will become familiar with the tourism potentials of Yazd so that we can have tourism exchange in the future with more communication and strengthening of mechanisms.”
Movahed, Head of the Association of Travel Service Offices, referred to the beautiful nature of Thailand and said: “Tourism will be sustainable if the exchange of passengers and tourists takes place. The climate of Iran is different from Thailand, and this is a good attraction for Thai tourists.”
Akbarpour, a member of the board of directors of the Ecotourism Lodges Association, also referred to Thailand’s ecotourism and said: “Thailand is very strong in the ecotourism sector. It is suggested that information and experiences be exchanged between the two countries. Yazd is known for its deserts and special climate and related tourism activities. This attraction can be attractive to the people of Thailand. Yazd is also known for health tourism, especially for GCC member countries.”
The Beauty of Yazd is Unique
The Thai ambassador said at this meeting, emphasizing that he had heard about the historical texture of Yazd before: “What I have experienced of the beauty of Yazd is more unique than what I heard, and it is remarkable for me. This is my first time in Yazd, and I am very happy about it.”
He continued: “I believe that Yazd has the ability to reach a mutual understanding and agreement with Thailand in the field of tourism. When I presented my credentials to the President of Iran, I mentioned that one of the plans is to develop the tourism industry between Thailand and Iran.”
Pichit Boonsud, the Thai ambassador, stated that one of the important tools in tourism development is strengthening air routes between the two countries. Annually, 50,000 tourists travel from Iran to Thailand, and this figure was 25,000 at the beginning of the new Gregorian year, showing a 6 percent growth. Given the growth in statistics, some airlines have requested an increase in flights, and this is a good opportunity for Iranian and Thai tourists to take advantage of.”
He continued: “Yazd, as a historical city, is located in the golden triangle of tourism in Iran, and in the first step, this city should be introduced historically to the people of Thailand. This is a turning point for the people of Thailand to become familiar with the history of Iran and Yazd. Although the discussion of health tourism was also raised; however, in my opinion, historical tourism is the first step.”
Using the Power of Social Networks
In another part of his speech, the Thai ambassador referred to the role of marketing in tourism and said that there are various ways to market Yazd tourism; however, online platforms and social networks, as well as using bloggers and those who can be influential on virtual pages, can introduce Yazd to Thais.”
The Thai ambassador suggested that regarding Yazd’s presence in ACD, I suggest that meetings and coordination also take place with the Cultural Attaché (Tourism Attaché in Thailand), who is based in Dubai. Another solution is to use diplomatic potentials, namely the Iranian ambassador to Thailand, and good things can happen in meetings with Thai ministers, especially the Minister of Tourism.”
He also referred to the issue of visas and emphasized: “The private sector can request the government to remove the need for obtaining visas for Thailand. This issue plays an important role in attracting tourism because the history of relations between Iran and Thailand is more than 500 years, and next year the diplomatic relations between Iran and Thailand will enter their 70th year. This is a valuable opportunity to attract tourists on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of relations.”
The Thai Ambassador stated: “Regarding the COVID policies, more than 28 million people traveled to Thailand, and we hope for a 30 percent increase. Our Prime Minister has a policy of emphasizing friendly relations with other countries under the umbrella of the tourism economy on the agenda. It is a good opportunity for Iranian managers in the private sector to be present in Thailand, and we can expand relations.”
In conclusion, while examining several tourist cities in Thailand that can be a model for Iran, especially in the field of airport development and renovation, so that the airport development model can be implemented in Yazd, the Ambassador expressed hope that this meeting of exchanging experiences would be implemented.
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