TEHRAN--Indians are fond of Yazd’s traditional architecture, and Iranian cuisine, such as traditional dishes of Qormeh Sabzi and Qeymeh Nesar, said an Indian tour operator who works with several travel agencies.

The Indian tour operator, who has traveled to Iran many times, says Indians are interested in Iran’s culture, which has appeared in Isfahan and Shiraz cities, ILNA reported.

Given their rich culture and ancient civilization, Iran and India have had a very good relationship.

Some experts believe that people of both civilizations boast a long history in race and culture. They have a common origin: Aryans.

There are joint commonalities which can be found in language, customs, and other behavioral characteristics of the peoples of both nations.

Jawaharlal Nehru, the late Prime Minister of India, wrote in his book "Discovery of India": Out of nations and races that have connections with India, none of them have affected on Indian life and culture in a constant and sustainable way like Iranians.

Indian tour operator Syed Ghulam Asghar, who has traveled to Iran to have tourism exchanges with Iranian travel agencies, says: “International tourism gathering is an opportunity that the private sectors of countries negotiate with each other, resulting in tourism prosperity.”

“My various travel agencies are eager to dispatch tours to Iran. Fortunately, there isn’t any problem for entrance of tourists to Iran given the political and cultural ties between India and Iran. Iran is considered a safe nation for us.”

“Currently, we are preparing a traveling package to Iran,” he said. “Iran and India are two nations which have rich cultural commonalities. They can have tourist exchange. As Iranians have deep understanding of culture, customs and cuisines, Indians know Iranian culture.”

He continued that Iran is an attractive destination for Indians.

Madura Arora is another Indian tour operator. He believes that Iran can attract many Indian tourists. Iran is not only an attractive destination for Indians in terms of culture, pilgrimage tours to holy cities of Mashhad and Qom is of high importance for Indian Shias.

“Tourism industry needs huge publicity. We have achieved to bring Indian culture to Iranian homes through filmmaking industry. Although Turkey has replaced India for Iranians in recent decades, we can prepare conditions for peoples of both nations to travel to the target country with interest and conscious choice through planning and publicity with new methods.”

If Iran wants to have a share of Indian tourists, it should have made huge marketing and publicity, he concluded.

As part of Iran’s marketing efforts, led by the deputy of tourism at the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts, a roadshow was held in in three major Indian cities: Mumbai, Hyderabad, and New Delhi in 2024 to achieve several key objectives, including promoting a positive image of Iran by highlighting its cultural, historical, and natural diversity, increasing the number of international tourists, creating new business opportunities, and introducing new destinations and attractions.

As revealed by the roadshow organizers, one of the main focuses of the event was facilitating direct interaction between the tourism professionals of the two countries through B2B meetings.

In addition to fostering ties between tourism professionals, the event also offered a platform for identifying and collaborating with new business partners, such as tour operators, airlines, social media influencers, and other stakeholders in the tourism industry.

This approach aims to create a network of international partners and open new avenues for future cooperation.

India, with a population of over 1.4 billion, recently surpassed China to become the world’s most populous country. As such, the Indian tourism market holds significant importance for Iran, given its substantial number of potential travelers.

Additionally, India’s growing middle class and rising per capita incomes make it one of the world’s largest sources of outbound tourists, who increasingly seek new cultural experiences and international destinations.

New Delhi, with its vast and influential population, Hyderabad, known for its rich cultural heritage, and Mumbai, as India’s economic hub, all provide unique opportunities for promoting Iranian tourism.

Furthermore, cultural and ethnic ties between the two nations offer another advantage for Iran’s tourism sector, underscoring the importance of this roadshow in India.

KD