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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| 50% Reduction In Tourists Since Tehran Quake |
| 2004-06-16 |
| TEHRAN (IRNA) –- The chairman of Tehran Hotel Owners Association said here Sunday the recent earthquake that jolted Tehran has had a 40 percent and 50 percent reduction in the number of domestic and foreign tourists, respectively. Mohammad Forugh-Mehr told IRNA the problem lies in the overblown reactions by the officials and some section of the domestic media to the tremors causing the adverse psychological effects to be more pronounced than the damage inflicted by the quake itself. Last week, the media dedicated extensive coverage to the likelihood of a looming quake to hit the area in the next several days. "This caused a perceptible reduction in the number of tourists that visit the capital city on a regular basis in this period," he added. Over the past years many tourists, notably form the Persian Gulf states, have visited the country in the summer season and specially the Caspian sea coastal cities, Forugh-Mehr said adding, "but the rumors of an impending earthquake has kept the tourists away this year." He said the resolution of the issue hinges on the prudent manner of information dissemination by officials and media. "The latter did have less than satisfactory coverage of a natural disaster which is impossible to predict." |
| Posted by:Chuck Simmins |
| #4 Actually, the regular Iranians are exceptionally courteous, extremely friendly, and endlessly curious and inquisitive toward American tourists, in particular. A good friend of mine in Saudi went there with his son on vacation just before I left - visiting many places up and down the length of the country. His enthusiastic and detailed recounting of the trip and the reception strongly confirmed the many pre-Iraq War press stories about the modern and progressive attitude of everyone in Iran not connected to the "Gov't" - and their incredible oppression and frustration. The rampant anti-American press bias has apparently caused the agenda-driven outlets to effectively cease publishing such stories - it undermines their screed. You will only find such information in the documentary business, these days. |
| Posted by: .com 2004-06-16 4:47:04 PM |
| #3 Tourists in IraNNNNN-sounds like the middle aged WASPs on vacation in Monty Python's Meaning of Life. Veddy, veddy nice. (Sorry-Iraq on the brain.) |
| Posted by: jules 187 2004-06-16 4:46:08 PM |
| #2 Tourists in Iraq-sounds like the middle aged WASPs on vacation in Monty Python's Meaning of Life. Veddy, veddy nice. |
| Posted by: jules 187 2004-06-16 4:45:36 PM |
| #1 Tehran has tourists?!? What, are they NorKs on vacation? |
| Posted by: BH 2004-06-16 4:34:36 PM |