Never mind what the governments or foreign secretaries say about traveling to Iran. Here atincredibleiran.com, we think you should also consider what your fellow citizens say about traveling to Iran.

Iran is full of surprises; it has a population of over 70 million, most of whom were born after the 1979 revolution. Iranians are far removed from the dour and menacing stereotype often portrayed on the 10 o'clock news. The ordinary people are by far amongst some of the friendliest nations in the world.

Iran's most precious jewel is its people. Lonely Planet calls them warm and fascinating people, and Will Hide, a London-based travel journalist writing for the Times, has concluded after returning from his trip to Iran that this country has the friendliest people in the world. The hospitality of ever-smiling Iranians is sincere and simple - they are always eager to help travelers, offer a cup of tea, pay for your lunch or invite home for dinner.

 

Iran has surprised many, particularly amongst the traveling community. For a lot of people: Iran isn’t at top of their destination list but once they visit for the first time, they keep coming back but with their families.

Even though Iran’s tourism industry hasn’t reached its true potential but it has recently surpassed the global averages. From 2004 to 2010, the annual increase in tourists visiting foreign countries was 3.2 percent worldwide, according to the UN World Tourism Organization. Iran’s figures over the same period show tourism here grew at a much faster clip--12.7 percent.

Rick Steves is one of the most famous travel journalists in the world. He has written many books on travel and travel guides and he has a global audience on Discovery Channel and also on Public television in the United States, thanks to his amazing travel shows. He has visited Iran and like many, was quite surprised by what he saw. He made a documentary about his trip to Iran, you can watch it here:

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Graham Hughes, a Guinness Book World Record holder, is the only person on planet earth that has visited every UN-recognised country in the world - including some unrecognized territories - traveling only on land and by sea. This is what he had to say about Iran:

Iran was the country that least lived up to preconceptions, becoming the highlight of my trip. I was warmly welcomed into people's homes, invited for dinner, and helped along the way - it was incredible.

Read the full article here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-19818883