www.tehrantimes.com An Iranian tourism industry official  that Iran wants to benefit from Spain's hotel building expertise . Addressing a one-day seminar on expansion of Iran-Spain tourism cooperation, deputy head of the development affairs department at the Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization Ali Hashemi said that Iran might have little experience in the field of tourism but is willing to make use of the experience of such countries as Spain.

Hashemi said that he had visited Spain as a tourist in 1983 and 2004 and witnessed drastic changes in the country's tourism industry and related sectors.

He said Spain is home to the Islamic and European cultures and Islamic culture in southern parts of its territory is considered a great tourist attraction.

He added that thanks to the endeavors of the Spanish ambassador to Tehran, commercial relations between Iran and Spain are growing and the country is the third major trade partner of Iran.

The official hoped that commercial relations would pave the ground for ties between the two countries in tourism sector.

He said inauguration of Iran's tourism bureau in Spain will help present a true image of Iran in that region.

Stressing the need for Spanish tourism companies to invest in Iran with an aim of promoting Iran's tourism industry, Hashemi said there are many Iranians willing to visit Spain and to this end Madrid is expected to facilitate and arrange their tour of the country.

Meanwhile, director general of the Development Projects Department at Iran's Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization Hassan Almasi said that after being merged, his organization has got a new mandate in the tourism field.

Almasi said Iran enjoys rich natural and historical attractions and is one of the seven major civilizations of the world, housing thousands of historical monuments.

Such historical monuments as Haft-Tappeh, Hegmataneh, and Persepolis as well as monuments located in open areas such as Naqsh-e Jahan Square and Yazd Mosque in addition to the ethnic and geographic diversities have created a good collection of tourism attractions in Iran, he said.

Almasi said Iran owns only 0.09 percent of the world's tourism facilities and is planning to raise the figure to 1.5 percent on a 20-year horizon.

He said Iran has a share of 0.07 percent in the world's total tourism revenues and is willing to raise the figure to two percent by end of the 20-year plan.

The Iranian official went on to say that the number of foreign tourists traveling to Iran stands at 700,000, which will rise to 20 million by end of the 20-year plan earning the country an income of $25 billion.

To attain the goal, cumbersome regulations should be discarded and the focus should be placed on marketing and publicity worldwide, he added.