TEHRAN – The first International Tourism Conference of Semnan, titled “Silk Road: Opportunities and Perspectives,” will be held tomorrow at Semnan University, according to the provincial Department of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts.

Bahman Akhlaghi, head of the department, said the event will bring together experts, researchers, and tourism industry representatives from Iran and beyond to discuss development opportunities along the historic Silk Road, IRIB reported.

Akhlaghi said that the inauguration ceremony of the country’s first university-based specialized hotel management training center is set to be held on the sidelines of the conference. He said the new center aims to improve professional training in tourism and standardize hospitality services.

The official also highlighted Semnan’s participation in international Silk Road initiatives dates back to September 2023, when the city was selected as Iran’s representative in the International Union of Tourism Cities along the Silk Road at a conference held in China. At that time, the Semnan International Silk Road Center was also established by the city’s municipal authorities.

Akhlaghi said Semnan’s role in the union provides an opportunity for member countries to learn about the province’s cultural and historical assets, contributing to the growth of Iran’s tourism sector and the local economy.

Located in north-central Iran, Semnan province features a combination of desert and forest landscapes and holds historical significance as part of the ancient Silk Road. The region’s cultural heritage and diverse geography have made it a focal point for Iran’s tourism development initiatives.

The ancient Silk Road has existed for thousands of years, passing through empires, kingdoms, reigns, and societies throughout history. At certain times in its long history, traders could travel freely along these routes, whereas at others, travel was difficult or dangerous.

According to UNESCO, the Silk Road enriched the countries it passed through, transporting cultures, religions, languages, and of course material goods into societies across Europe, Asia and Africa, and uniting them all with a common thread of cultural heritage and plural identities. There are over 40 countries today alongside the historic Land and Maritime Silk Road, all still bearing witness to the impact of these routes on their culture, traditions and customs.

Travelers along the Silk Road were fascinated not only by trade but also by the intellectual and cultural exchange that was taking place in cities along the route, many of which developed into hubs of culture and learning. Science, arts, and literature, as well as crafts and technologies, were thus shared and disseminated into societies along the lengths of these routes, and in this way, languages, religions, and cultures developed and influenced each other.

AM