Foreign tourists growth in Iran

A total of 2,030,523 tourists visited Iran during the first quarter of the current fiscal year (March 21-June 21) to register a 41% growth compared with 1,443,551 inbound tourists during the same period of last year, the Persian daily Donya-e-Eqtesad reported. While the US State Department has long issued strong advisories against traveling to Iran and despite tensions between the two countries, tour operators and travel mavens such as Rick Steves maintain that Iran is a safe and hospitable destination for travelers, Americans included. 

Iran has proven to be safe

Tour operators who spoke with Skift strongly disagree with the US State Department’s warning that Iran is not a safe travel destination, maintaining that Iran has proven to be a safe and remarkably hospitable place for travelers, including Americans. The biggest obstacle they see is the widespread misperception that the country is not safe or that visitors will be met with hostility. According to the 2019 Travel Risk Map, launched by global risk experts International SOS in collaboration with Control Risks, Iran is as safe as a majority of European countries when it comes to travel security. According to International SOS, a low travel security risk means violent crime rates are low and racial, sectarian or political violence or civil unrest is uncommon. 

“Security and emergency services are effective and infrastructure is sound. Industrial action and transport disruption are infrequent,” the company said in a blurb on its website in reference to "low risk" countries.