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Iran emerges as health tourism destination

An increasing number of foreign visitors enter Iran to either undergo medical treatment at specialized hospitals or to make use of traditional medicine.
Iranian surgeon Ali Manafi puts on his sterile gown before performing a nose surgery on a female patient in the operating room at a hospital in Tehran August 19,  2015. Iran has the most numbers of rhinoplasty procedures, or nose jobs, done in the world, according to local media.REUTERS/Raheb Homavandi/TIMAATTENTION EDITORS - THIS PICTURE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. REUTERS IS UNABLE TO INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY THE AUTHENTICITY, CONTENT, LOCATION OR DATE OF THIS IMAGE. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FO

TEHRAN, Iran — Tourism is nowadays at the core of attention of many governments across the world because of its major contribution to social and economic development. As the World Tourism Organization states, the business volume of tourism equals and sometimes surpasses that of crude oil exports.

Such facts, along with possessing numerous tourism attractions — including UNESCO-designated World Heritage sites — have prompted Iran to step up efforts to boost its tourism industry, particularly under President Hassan Rouhani.

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