Challenges and opportunities for tourism development in Iran: Perspectives of Iranian tourism suppliers

Iranian tourism industry – despite enormous potentials – has faced a number of challenges including wide ranging nuclear related sanctions, negative imagery in the west and lack of effective management of resources. The aim of this paper is to focus on the perspectives of Iranian tourism suppliers who have a crucial role in the development and success of the tourism industry in the country. The findings of this paper are based on interviews conducted in Iran with representatives of Iranian tourism suppliers from both the public and private sector. The analysis of these interviews suggests that tourism suppliers face two major challenges: (1) Iran's negative imagery in the West and (2) lack of resources to tackle this negative discourse. This paper also provides an overview of the potential future opportunities which the recently forged nuclear agreement could present for Iranian tourism suppliers.