VOA标准英语2011--Sanctions Have Unintended Effect on Iran

Sanctions Have Unintended Effect on Iran's Tourism Industry - Part 3

When you're talking about travel and tourism to Iran, you can't overlook the question of U.S. and international sanctions imposed against Tehran as part of the ongoing¹ dispute over its controversial nuclear program. The sanctions were never meant to target Iran's travel and tourism industries, but their effect is felt in numerous ways.
Absolute Travel in Manhattan has been sending American tourists to Iran for more than a decade, in part, says company President Ken² Fish, because he was able to find a tour operator in Tehran to manage things on the Iran side.
"When I selected the company that I chose to do business with, I contacted them and asked them to meet with me and on a handshake I said we're going to be doing business together. And eleven years down the road we're still doing business together," said Fish.
Travel and tourism activities are officially exempt³ from U.S. sanctions. But the sanctions do prevent American travel companies from sending money directly to their partners in Iran. Those wire transfers have to be cleared first through the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, which takes time and is limited to $10,000 per transaction. So business people like Ken Fish find other ways.
"That's really not a problem. We're not dealing⁴ with banks in Iran. We always have overseas banks whether they are in Europe or Dubai or some other venue," Fish explained.
The banks do charge transfer fees, however, which can cut the profit margin⁵ for smaller tour operators, like this one seen in home video.
And the sanctions also influence the spending habits of tourists in Iran, because of the lack of credit card or debit⁶ card services.
The sanctions have also led to a drawdown in Western investment. Kish Island, for example, was poised⁷ in the 1970s to become a major tourist paradise. But economist⁸ Fariborz Ghadar says that potential has not been realized.
"If you Google Kish you can find a series of very chic⁹ hotels, but in fact, some of these hotels only exist online. They haven't actually been built. Hotel construction has fallen behind - hotels which were scheduled to be completed 5 years ago," Ghadar explained.
As the Europeans leave though, other players take their place.
"There's no doubt that the Chinese to some extent will invest in this," noted¹⁰ Sohrab Sobhani, a business consultant¹¹, who recently co-authored an article on Iran's economy for the Harvard International Review. "This is a natural thing. When Chinese and Asians see there is a market for them in Iran there is no doubt that in addition to their investments in oil and gas they will make an investment in tourism as well."
But Fariborz Ghadar says that may not provide enough help for the tourist sector¹².
"When you go to China and Beijing and Shanghai you see that their hotels are all Western brands, the Meridian¹³ and the Hyatt and others," Ghadar noted. "If the firms doing business in China are Western, do you really want to import Chinese know-how¹⁴ into Iran?"
Despite sanctions and a loss of foreign investment, there are some positive indicators¹⁵. Domestic investment in Iran's hospitality sector is said to have nearly doubled in five years with about 500 small hotels being built across the country. Also, nearly two percent of the Iranian workforce¹⁶ is now in the tourism industry. Most of those jobs were created in just the past decade and much of the future growth in tourism will come from Iran's private sector.

1 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

2 ken   

n.视野，知识领域

参考例句：

• Such things are beyond my ken.我可不懂这些事。
• Abstract words are beyond the ken of children.抽象的言辞超出小孩所理解的范围.

3 exempt   

adj.免除的；v.使免除；n.免税者，被免除义务者

参考例句：

• These goods are exempt from customs duties.这些货物免征关税。
• He is exempt from punishment about this thing.关于此事对他已免于处分。

4 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

5 margin   

n.页边空白；差额；余地，余裕；边，边缘

参考例句：

• We allowed a margin of 20 minutes in catching the train.我们有20分钟的余地赶火车。
• The village is situated at the margin of a forest.村子位于森林的边缘。

6 debit   

n.借方，借项，记人借方的款项

参考例句：

• To whom shall I debit this sum?此款应记入谁的账户的借方？
• We undercharge Mr.Smith and have to send him a debit note for the extra amount.我们少收了史密斯先生的钱，只得给他寄去一张借条所要欠款。

7 poised   

a.摆好姿势不动的

参考例句：

• The hawk poised in mid-air ready to swoop. 老鹰在半空中盘旋，准备俯冲。
• Tina was tense, her hand poised over the telephone. 蒂娜心情紧张，手悬在电话机上。

8 economist   

n.经济学家，经济专家，节俭的人

参考例句：

• He cast a professional economist's eyes on the problem.他以经济学行家的眼光审视这个问题。
• He's an economist who thinks he knows all the answers.他是个经济学家，自以为什么都懂。

9 chic   

n./adj.别致(的)，时髦(的)，讲究的

参考例句：

• She bought a chic little hat.她买了一顶别致的小帽子。
• The chic restaurant is patronized by many celebrities.这家时髦的饭店常有名人光顾。

10 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

11 consultant   

n.顾问；会诊医师，专科医生

参考例句：

• He is a consultant on law affairs to the mayor.他是市长的一个法律顾问。
• Originally,Gar had agreed to come up as a consultant.原来，加尔只答应来充当我们的顾问。

12 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

13 meridian   

adj.子午线的；全盛期的

参考例句：

• All places on the same meridian have the same longitude.在同一子午线上的地方都有相同的经度。
• He is now at the meridian of his intellectual power.他现在正值智力全盛期。

14 know-how   

n.知识；技术；诀窍

参考例句：

• He hasn't got the know-how to run a farm.他没有经营农场的专业知识。
• I don't have much know-how about engines.发动机方面的技术知识我知之甚少。

15 indicators   

（仪器上显示温度、压力、耗油量等的）指针( indicator的名词复数 )； 指示物； （车辆上的）转弯指示灯； 指示信号

参考例句：

• The economic indicators are better than expected. 经济指标比预期的好。
• It is still difficult to develop indicators for many concepts used in social science. 为社会科学领域的许多概念确立一个指标仍然很难。

16 workforce   

n.劳动大军，劳动力

参考例句：

• A large part of the workforce is employed in agriculture.劳动人口中一大部分受雇于农业。
• A quarter of the local workforce is unemployed.本地劳动力中有四分之一失业。