106 Parthian, Seleucid objects recovered in western Iran

TEHRAN - Iranian authorities have recently confiscated 106 historical relics from a smuggler in Harsin, Kermanshah province, CHTN reported on Monday.

Iran seeks to nominate Yazd as UNESCO Creative City

TEHRAN – Iranian National Commission for UNESCO is considering to nominate Yazd as a Creative City of the UN cultural body, IRNA reported on Monday.

Glassware makes one-fourth of Tehran handicraft exports

TEHRAN – Glassware accounts for almost one-fourth of handicrafts exports from Tehran province, a local tourism official has said.

Zeinodin caravanserai, a destination for avid time travelers!

For an avid visitor to a centuries-old caravanserai, it’s not tough to imagine (or even hear!) the hustle and bustle of merchants bargaining on prices, describing their long lived journey to one another as their camels chew on hay in the corner.

By Marjohn Sheikhi

Currency slump gives rise to visits from neighbors, sanctions wane visits from EU

TEHRAN– The fall in Iran’s national currency value has attracted a new wave of visitors from neighboring countries, particularly Iraq. According to recent figures, the arrival of foreign tourists to Iran has had a 45% increase in a five-month period compared to last year.

Golestan province to add 200 eco-lodges to buttress tourism

TEHRAN – Golestan province’s governor has said that 200 eco-lodges will be opened to the public during the next couple of months to cater to the hospitality industry in northern Iran. 

Ahvaz to offer fam tours for free

TEHRAN – The Ahvaz tourism department is set to organize free familiarization tours on a weekly basis in a bid to promote traveling to the southwestern Iranian city.

Glassware complex under construction in Tehran

TEHRAN – A vast complex dedicated to handcrafted glassware is being built in western Tehran, an official with the Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization has said.

Isfahan to run guesthouse for patients with cancer

TEHRAN – A guesthouse will be opened in the city of Isfahan to accommodate health tourists who are suffering from cancer, IRIB reported on Friday.

Iran’s outbound passengers cut by 8.6 percent y/y

TEHRAN – The number of Iran’s outbound passengers has slumped by 8.6 percent during the first four months of the current Iranian calendar year (started on March 21) from a year earlier, Mehr reported.

Shiraz conference exploring Iran-Italy archeological co-op

TEHRAN – Shiraz University on Saturday began playing host to an international conference, which spotlights Iran-Italy cultural and archeological ties over the past couple of decades, CHTN reported.

Iran proposes having tourism exhibit in Japan

TEHRAN – Tehran’s ambassador to Tokyo on Saturday proposed holding an exhibit of Iran’s handicrafts and tourism potential in Japan.

Visa-free entry an alternative to oil economy: expert 

The head of Alborz province’s chamber of commerce, industries, mines and agriculture believes that starting a visa-free regime for inbound travelers to Iran is an alternative to the country’s oil-reliant economy.

CHHTO appoints new deputy director for tourism

TEHRAN – The director of the Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization has installed Mohammad Khayatian as his deputy for tourism affairs, ILNA reported. 

Iran’s heritage museums home to 3m historical relic

TEHRAN – Some Three million historical objects are currently being kept in museums which are affiliated with the Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization, IRNA reported on Wednesday. 

Tehran exhibit features artworks back from Louvre-Lens

TEHRAN – On Wednesday, an exhibition of Qajar-era (1785-1925) objects, which France’s Louvre-Lens had borrowed earlier this year for a home show, opened its doors to the public at the UNESCO-registered Golestan Palace in downtown Tehran.

 Iran to join Oman fair to promote medical tourism

TEHRAN – Iran will take part at the 8th Oman Health Exhibition & Conference, which will be running from September 24 to 26 at the capital city of Muscat.

Tehran to hold loan exhibit from Dutch museum

TEHRAN – The National Museum of Iran is set to showcase a loan collection of relics from Drents Museum, Assen, the Netherlands.

Municipal Museum spotlights Iranian Islamic art

On Saturday, an exhibition of Islamic art objects, featuring tens of Iranian relics, opened its doors to the public at the Gemeentemuseum Den Haag, known as the Municipal Museum, located in The Hague, the Netherlands.

Medical tourist arrivals in Iran doubles in spring

TEHRAN –  Medical tourist arrivals in the country has nearly doubled in the first three months of the current Iranian calendar year, corresponding to spring 2018, from a year earlier, said an official with the Ministry of Health.

Provincial tourism train makes debut in Kerman

TEHRAN – The Islamic Republic of Iran Railways has launched a tourism train   service across the southeastern Kerman province, ISNA reported on Thursday.

Iranian companies to partake in Paris tourism fair

TEHRAN – Several Iranian travel businesses and exhibitors are scheduled to participate in the 40th International French travel market (IFTM Top Resa 2018), a four-day tourism exhibit running at the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles from September 25 to 28.

Iran’s 5-month intl. tourist arrivals up 45% y/y

TEHRAN - The number of international tourists visiting Iran surged 45 percent in the first five months of the current Iranian calendar year (started on March 21) from a year earlier, tourism chief said on Wednesday.

Isfahan to host national crafts exhibit

TEHRAN – A national sales exhibit of handicrafts will open its door today to the public at the premises of the renowned Chehel Sotoun palace in Isfahan.

Private sector to revive, operate historical houses in Shiraz

TEHRAN – A total of 28 houses in the city of Shiraz, including 11 historical ones, are to be ceded to the private sector with the aim of receiving better conservation through repurposing them into thriving eco-lodges or other profitable niches.

Agreement inked in favor of travel startups

TEHRAN – Iran’s tourism body has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the labor ministry on Monday in a bid to strengthen support for tourism startups.

Parthian, Sassanid tombs discovered in northern Iran

TEHRAN – A total of 39 tombs and catacombs dating back to Parthian (247 BC–224 CE) and Sassanid (224 CE-651) eras have recently been discovered in Liar-Sang-Bon, an archaeological site in Amlash, northern Iran.

U.S. returns exquisite Achaemenid relief to Iran

TEHRAN – On Tuesday, an exquisite Achaemenid-era relief, which is estimated to be worth $1.2-million, was handed back to Iran under a rule laid down by a U.S. court back in June.

Restoring UNESCO-registered garden nears completion

TEHRAN - Restoration work on the UNESCO-inscribed Dolat Abad Garden in the central city of Yazd will be completed within a month.

Imam Mosque: Elegant, iconic and visually stunning

With its perfect proportions and iconic blue-tiled mosaics, the Imam Mosque forms an elegant, visually stunning historical monument, which stands tall at the southern side of a massive square of the same name; the UNESCO-registered Imam Square of Isfahan in central Iran.