Tour Operators Hope Iran Becomes the Next Cuba

When U.S. President Barack Obama announced last year that he had successfully negotiated a deal to drop sanctions against Iran in return for more stringent monitoring of the country's nuclear program, many believed that the opening of Iran to more American tourists was on the way. The situation on the ground in Iran remains difficult for tour operators, however, due to strict restrictions on banking and limitations on how tourists can move around the country. Since many sanctions have already been dropped by the European Union, European companies have a head start in developing more robust Iran vacations. But a big jump in demand will likely soon propel the country back into the relevance for American tourists. "It's not just Americans; the demand for Iran is pretty strong across the board, which goes against everything going on right now in the region," G Adventures vice president for buying Yves Marceau told