Representatives from Iran and Belarus announced plans to strengthen tourism interaction between the two countries. Following the receipt of necessary aviation permits from Belarus, the launch of direct air flights between Tehran and Minsk is expected.
Meeting and Cooperation Goals
The meeting in Tehran was attended by Belarusian Ambassador Dmitry Koltsov, officials from the Iranian Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts, representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, members of parliament, as well as participants from the Iranian Chamber of Commerce and stakeholders in the tourism industry. The main goal of the gathering was to expand ties in the field of tourism and eliminate obstacles to travel between the countries.
Participants noted that the main barriers to increasing tourist flows are the lack of direct flights, insufficient awareness of each country's tourist attractions, and weak links between tourism enterprises.
Problems and Proposals
A memorandum of cooperation in the field of tourism was previously signed between the presidents of Iran and Belarus, which laid the foundation for bilateral partnership. However, the main challenge remained the absence of direct air transport.
Moslem Shojaei, Director General of the Department of Marketing and Development of Foreign Tourism at the Iranian Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts, emphasized that Iran views tourism as a tool of international diplomacy. He proposed that the development of tourism relations with Belarus should be carried out by the private sector with government support.
Shojaei noted that Belarus is one of Iran's target tourist markets and recalled that in 2023, Iran abolished visa requirements for Belarusian citizens.
He also proposed the creation of a joint technical committee on tourism and called on Belarusian tourism companies to participate in exhibitions in Iran, including an international tour operator gathering scheduled for the coming months.
Potential and Institutional Barriers
Seyed Mostafa Mousavi, head of the tourism commission of the Iranian Chamber of Commerce, stated the significant potential of both countries for cooperation in the fields of tourism, trade, agriculture, and industry. Nevertheless, he stressed the need to launch direct flights and strengthen institutional ties to realize these opportunities.
Mousavi added that tourism can contribute to broader trade, economic, and investment relations, and urged greater attention to tourism during bilateral economic negotiations. He also pointed out that the absence of a joint Iran-Belarusian Chamber of Commerce limits interaction between businesses, investors, and tour operators.
Permits and Next Steps
For his part, Belarusian Ambassador Dmitry Koltsov reported that the national aviation authority of Belarus has issued all necessary permits for direct flights after the Iranian airline Mahan Air conducted a trial flight two years ago.
Koltsov specified that other Iranian airlines can also begin providing this service. He also noted that the memorandum on tourism cooperation, signed during the visit of the Iranian President to Minsk, is being implemented by relevant bodies to create the necessary infrastructure for tourism development.
The ambassador also emphasized that Iran and Belarus already cooperate in the fields of trade, industry, and healthcare, and tourism can become another pillar of bilateral relations. He called for strengthening interaction between travel agencies and invited Iranian tour operators to participate in the Belarusian tourism exhibition scheduled for next spring.
