As part of a protocol signed by high ranking Turkish and Iranian tourism officials on May 12 and in a bid to boost tourism, officials from Turkey’s Tourism Ministry have told Reuters.

The protocol was signed in Tehran by Turkish Culture and Tourism Minister Mahir Ünal and Masoud Sultanifer, Iran’s vice-president and head of the Cultural Heritage, Handcrafts and Tourism Organization.

Ünal and Sultanifer also discussed how to boost tourism between Turkey and Iran along with sector representatives from the both countries.

According to the protocol, Turkish investors will build over 10 hotels in Tehran, Isfahan, Shiraz, Tabriz and Mashhad, said a Turkish official quoted by Reuters.

Both charter and scheduled flights will also be increased between Turkey and Iran, according to the protocol.

Joint packages for distant regions

Both countries will also share their experiences, launching joint promotional campaigns and tour packages for distant countries including China, India, Indonesia and Malaysia.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Sultanifer invited Turkish citizens to visit Iran.

“Turkish businessmen who are thinking of investing in hotel construction in Iran are meeting with their Iranian counterparts today. Just like Turkey is a good tourist destination for Iranians, we expect Turkish tourists to visit Iran,” he said, as quoted by Anadolu Agency.

After a diplomatic crisis erupted between Turkey and Russia last November when the Turkish armed forces downed a Russian jet over airspace violations on the Syrian border, the number of Russian tourists visiting Turkey decreased dramatically.

Turkey’s tourism revenue decreased by 16.5 percent in the first quarter of 2016 compared to the same period of 2015 due to the Russian crisis and escalating security concerns. This has prompted Turkish officials to cast the net out wider in a bid to find alternative solutions.

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