Iran experiencing a "tsunami of tourists" - Polidicks

[quote]Tehran, Iran (CNN) -- Through the hotel lobby he goes, to the elevator, up into guest rooms, and back. Jaber lashkari says he hauls around 50 pieces of luggage along this well-worn route every day. But the porter at Tehran's Parsian Azadi Hotel says in the past several months his work has nearly doubled. "Recently we've seen a big increase," he said. "We don't need exercise or treadmills anymore. We walk more than anyone else." Jaber's heavy workload comes amid a 215% increase this year in visits to Iran by tourists, according to a government official who called the surge a "tsunami of tourists". Hotel marketing and sales manager Zahra Manafzadeh says if this surge keeps up Tehran may soon run out of hotel space. "It shows that we have to take action and do something about it," he said. Tehran may be a capital of some 12 million people, but remarkably it has only three large five-star hotels. A fourth is under construction yet most of Tehran's accommodations remain smaller apartment style hotels. Farman Ghafarian owns two of these enterprises -- Tehran Grand Hotels One and Two. The recent spike in visitors has him thinking expansion. "We already have a shortage in Tehran," he said. "Now it's motivating us to build a third branch because for sure we are anticipating much demand in the tourism market."[/quote] [url]http://www.cnn.com/2014/07/17/travel/iran-hotels-mme/index.html?hpt=wo_t2[/url]

Well I suppose enterprising Tehranis might open up their houses (if sufficiently furnished) as bed and breakfasts, at least until they build a few more hotels.

I would visit Iran if they hadn't a law making it legal for them to execute me for being an atheist.

[QUOTE=cucumber;45438450]I would visit Iran if they hadn't a law making it legal for them to execute me for being an atheist.[/QUOTE] Do you plan to go proclaiming your (non)religious beliefs while you're there? Probably not. I might go visit soon, my doctor told me it's awesome there and that the highways are actually better than North America's.

[QUOTE=Tophat;45438467]Do you plan to go proclaiming your (non)religious beliefs while you're there? Probably not. [/QUOTE] Still, not even worth the risk. There are countless other, safer + better places in the world to visit.

[QUOTE=Tophat;45438467]Do you plan to go proclaiming your (non)religious beliefs while you're there? Probably not. I might go visit soon, my doctor told me it's awesome there and that the highways are actually better than North America's.[/QUOTE] I wouldn't want to lie if someone asks me my religion.

[QUOTE=cucumber;45438492]I wouldn't want to lie if someone asks me my religion.[/QUOTE] What's one white lie? humans are wired to tell untruths anyway if they feel that it's going to suit their purposes.

Good for them. Iran is on track to hopefully pull them selves from the cultural dark age of the Middle East into a very well off modern nation.

Hot damn I had no idea Teheran had over 10 million citizens!

[QUOTE=cucumber;45438450]I would visit Iran if they hadn't a law making it legal for them to execute me for being an atheist.[/QUOTE] Pretty sure they wouldn't do that to a tourist since it'd be bad for business.

Read the title as "Tsunami of terrorists" and was not surprised. Then I read the part in the OP about the bellhop carrying more luggage than normal, and I felt terrified for him because I thought they were bombs. Critical reading skills, everyone. On a serious note, I wonder if it would be hard to adapt to the Iranian culture for a Western tourist. I couldn't see myself doing that.

[QUOTE=J$ Psychotic;45438599]Read the title as "Tsunami of terrorists" and was not surprised. Then I read the part in the OP about the bellhop carrying more luggage than normal, and I felt terrified for him because I thought they were bombs. Critical reading skills, everyone. On a serious note, I wonder if it would be hard to adapt to the Iranian culture for a Western tourist. I couldn't see myself doing that.[/QUOTE] Typical American trying to read!

-snip, late; also read the title as 'Iran experiencing a "tsunami of terrorists"'-

The land that is modern day Iran has a rich history that stretches back to Paleolithic time. Iran is probably the one of the few Middle East countries I want to visit. Edit: That is relatively stable compare to its neighbours.

[QUOTE=Person234;45438688]The land that is modern day Iran has a rich history that stretches back to Paleolithic time. Iran is probably the one of the few Middle East countries I want to visit.[/QUOTE] All countries in the middle least have rich histories and i want to visit all of them

[QUOTE=Awesomecaek;45438532]Hot damn I had no idea Teheran had over 10 million citizens![/QUOTE] Tehran is the largest city in Western Asia (the Middle East excluding Egypt). In the Middle East as a whole, it is only surpassed by Cairo.

[QUOTE=Tophat;45438467]Do you plan to go proclaiming your (non)religious beliefs while you're there? Probably not. I might go visit soon, my doctor told me it's awesome there and that the highways are actually better than North America's.[/QUOTE] i cant wait to go to iran, i hear their highways are second to none

Iran, exactly what i did as soon as i touched down in tehran

[QUOTE=cucumber;45438492]I wouldn't want to lie if someone asks me my religion.[/QUOTE] "Welcome to Iran, here's some hummus, also what's your religion?" Yeah, no

[QUOTE=Tophat;45438467]Do you plan to go proclaiming your (non)religious beliefs while you're there? Probably not.[/QUOTE] Well, you know how atheists can be. They have to tell everyone.

The palestinian ambassador was earlier on TV. He said Iran has reached agreements with EU&US on some critical issues. They'll probably become a strong ally in case Russia becomes not so friendly as the time goes by. It would also complete the link of western allies starting from South-east asia->India->Pakistan->Afghanistan->Iran->Iraq->(potentially Syria if the Revolution succeeds)+Caucasus+Israel and other Arab Gulf states and on to Turkey and Europe.

It's a wonderful country [img]http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/field-test/img/iranian-sand-dunes-832x560.jpg[/img] [img]http://iranbild.de/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Ardashir-I-in-Firuzabad.jpg[/img]

[QUOTE=Midas22;45440056]Well, you know how atheists can be. They have to tell everyone.[/QUOTE] It's not exactly like such things don't pop up in conversation, It's sort of a general topic of interest for some people. I've been asked plenty of times, and I ask people sometimes just to discuss our differing views, I find it rather fun.

[QUOTE=Midas22;45440056]Well, you know how atheists can be. They have to tell everyone.[/QUOTE] "Hey, how are you do-" "I'M AN ATHEIST I'm so, [I]so[/I] sorry, I can't control it." "Oh my god, ma-" "GOD ISN'T REAL"

Iran is very underrated tbh but it's a very odd country. my own experience and view of the country is that it seems to be full of very smart and educated people, but led by very delusional people it also seems to be a peaceful country but again this is just what i've been absorbing over the years

[QUOTE=Tophat;45438467]Do you plan to go proclaiming your (non)religious beliefs while you're there? Probably not. [/QUOTE] they have a tendency to accuse people of crimes just to throw them into their meat grinder legal system plus not many foreign embassies means you're fucked if anything goes wrong

The absence of hotel in Tehran maybe a blessing in disguise. Here is a rather crazy idea of mine... Until recently, Iran has been portrayed as an enemy of America by the Bush Administration and the right wing media. Therefore, close minded tourists would probably not visit a country in the Axis of Evil. These close minded tourists, I believe, are the type that expects a pool, jacuzzi, and 7:00AM to 12:00AM buffet. They want a king size bed in their room and cable TV. Basically, they are relatively unadventurous. I am no marketing expert, however, I believe that because these close minded tourists wouldn't be visiting Iran, Iran can orient their tourism industry toward the more adventurous, more open minded type. Instead of air conditioned room and a king size bed with cable, these open minded tourists would enjoy a more interesting, more authentic, more immerse experience. Iranians opening their homes as bed and breakfast is a good idea (Nyaaaa and RB33 are exactly the close minded, boring tourists I am talking about). Also, what about furnished tent hotels at the outskirts of Tehran and other cities. We have something like what I am talking about in Canada, they are pretty good if run properly. [url]http://www.wildretreat.com/[/url] Iran is virgin tourism territory, be innovative.

[QUOTE=Person234;45443736]The absence of hotel in Tehran maybe a blessing in disguise. Here is a rather crazy idea of mine... Until recently, Iran has been portrayed as an enemy of America by the Bush Administration and the right wing media. Therefore, close minded tourists would probably not visit a country in the Axis of Evil. These close minded tourists, I believe, are the type that expects a pool, jacuzzi, and 7:00AM to 12:00AM buffet. They want a king size bed in their room and cable TV. Basically, they are relatively unadventurous. I am no marketing expert, however, I believe that because these close minded tourists wouldn't be visiting Iran, Iran can orient their tourism industry toward the more adventurous, more open minded type. Instead of air conditioned room and a king size bed with cable, these open minded tourists would enjoy a more interesting, more authentic, more immerse experience. Iranians opening their homes as bed and breakfast is a good idea (Nyaaaa and RB33 are exactly the close minded, boring tourists I am talking about). Also, what about furnished tent hotels at the outskirts of Tehran and other cities. We have something like what I am talking about in Canada, they are pretty good if run properly. [url]http://www.wildretreat.com/[/url] Iran is virgin tourism territory, be innovative.[/QUOTE] This only works on the premise that a majority of the tourists in the world are Americans.

Iran: Our jails are overflowing! We are understaffed in secret detention facilities and our executioners are overbooked!

[QUOTE=Emperor Scorpious II;45443751]This only works on the premise that a majority of the tourists in the world are Americans.[/QUOTE] Americans are not the only people who are into the more adventurous, more culturally immersive tourism experience. As I said in my posts, the American tourists who are close minded wouldn't be visiting Iran. My idea actually caters more toward the more open minded tourists from places like Europe and Asia and open minded young Americans.