TEHRAN – Ardabil, the 2023 Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) cultural capital, plans to hold cultural nights in the Turkish city of Erzurum, a local tourism official has said. 

The cultural nights have the purpose of highlighting the city’s remarkable capacity for tourism and cultural heritage for potential Turkish tourists, Yahya Najjarqabel explained on Sunday.

The host city will announce an exact date for the event, which is scheduled for summer, the official added. 

The selection of Erzurum as the ECO Tourism Capital for 2025 opens up opportunities for organizing collaborative initiatives with shared objectives, he noted. 

It is hoped that such events will be held in some other countries as well, he mentioned. 

Back in April, the “Ardabil 2023” event was inaugurated in the northwestern Iranian city.

Last July, Iran’s Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts Minister Ezzatollah Zarghami said that the “Ardabil 2023” would be a great opportunity to promote the province on an international scale.

As “Ardabil 2023” approaches, it is necessary to make the most of the opportunity to introduce the province internationally and to build infrastructure in the province, the minister said.

Ardabil province is rich in cultural heritage and tourism, but suffers from a lack of investment and infrastructure, he added.

Ardabil’s potential in tourism, as well as tourists’ interest in visiting this province, has created the need for better infrastructure and investments in this field, he explained.

In 2019, Ardabil along with Sari, the capital of Mazandaran province, were selected as the cultural capitals of the Economic Cooperation Organization for 2022 and 2023, respectively.

Last April, the tourism authorities of the province announced that they had developed extensive plans to draw more tourists during the winter to the province and make it the winter tourism hub of the country.

Sprawling on a high, windswept plateau, Ardabil is well known for having abundant natural beauty, hospitable people, and its silk and carpet trade tradition. It is also home to the UNESCO-registered Sheikh Safi al-Din Khanegah and the Shrine Ensemble.

The province is freezing in winter and mild in summer, attracting thousands every year. The capital city of Ardabil is usually recorded as one of the coldest cities in the country in winter.

ABU/AM