Tourism minister proposes days off after coronavirus crisis ends

TEHRAN – Iranian tourism minister Ali-Asghar Mounesan on Saturday proposed the government to announce days off after the country overcomes the coronavirus crisis in a bid to help the battered tourism sector make a rebound.

Iran calls off Noruz celebrations amid coronavirus threat

TEHRAN – Iran’s tourism minister Ali-Asghar Mounesan announced on Tuesday that no official celebrations or public gatherings, even the pre-scheduled ones, will be held during the new year Noruz holidays (starting March 20 this year) in a bid to combat the coronavirus outbreak in the country.

Iran limits intercity travel to prevent coronavirus spread

TEHRAN – Iran has limited travel between its major cities in an effort to halt the spread of the coronavirus.

Tourism minister asks people to delay travels in face of coronavirus

TEHRAN – Iranian tourism minister has asked people to postpone or reschedule tours so as to help the tourism industry deal with the coronavirus outbreak.

Chinese travelers ready to donate 100,000 face masks to Iran to combat coronavirus

TEHRAN – Some Chinese travelers who have previously visited Iran have announced readiness to donate up to 100,000 face masks to help the country in fight against the novel coronavirus, known as COVID-19.

By Afshin Majlesi

Virus worries forces cancelation of travel fairs

TEHRAN – Dozens of travel fairs and conferences have so far been postponed worldwide due to concerns about the coronavirus outbreak, disrupting deals worth billions of dollars.

Iranian tour guides ‘messengers of peace and friendship’: minister

TEHRAN – Iran’s tourism minister Ali-Asghar Mounesan has honored tour guides as messengers of Iranian peace and friendship to the world, saying they play a very strategic role when it comes to assess quality of the tours and tourist satisfaction.

Iran to pursue visa-free travel with Russia at Moscow tourism fair

TEHRAN – The Iranian tourism minister on Monday said that the country will follow up on the issue of visa-free travel for mutual tourist groups with Russia at the upcoming [27th edition] Moscow International Travel & Tourism Exhibition (MITT), which will be held from March 17 to 19.

Japan, Austria downgrade Iran travel warning

TEHRAN – Japan and Austria have significantly downgraded their travel warnings on Iran, a caution they, amongst some other countries, issued following the deadly crash of a Ukrainian plane near Tehran last month.

Spain to stand beside Iran to help flourish tourism: CEAV president

TEHRAN – President of the Spanish Confederation of Travel Agencies (CEAV) has said that his country will stand beside Iran to help flourish tourism as the Islamic Republic is planning to expand tourism for reducing dependence on petrodollars step by step.

The wait is over: “Simurgh” named Iran’s national brand for tourism

TEHRAN – Finally the wait is over for many tourism lovers in Iran as the country has introduced “Simurgh” - a huge mythical bird of Persian legend credited with possessing great wisdom – as its national brand for tourism.

Tehran, Moscow discuss ways to expand tourism

TEHRAN – Iran and Russia have explored avenues for deepening ties in the arena of tourism and facilitating travels between the two countries.

By Afshin Majlesi

“Majestic Iran” salutes travel, culture enthusiasts and exhibitgoers

TEHRAN – The 13th Tehran International Tourism Exhibition opens tomorrow morning with all hopes to well introduce lesser–known destinations, services and travel businesses, yet to offer pocket-friendly travel packages to the visitors.

Tricky waterproof repairs cast doubt over fate of Iranian architecture masterpiece

TEHRAN – Many visitors to the 17th-centyry Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque, a top masterpiece of Iranian architecture that stands tall in Isfahan, witnessed last month that its picturesque creamy dome was emerged split-face from a snowfall.

Iran to host four ECO events on tourism this year

TEHRAN – Iran will be hosting dozens conferences and meetings within the frame of the “Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) Calendar of Events 2020”, however, four of which will be in tourism sphere.

Foreign arrivals in Iran hits 8 million in 10 months: tourism minister

TEHRAN - Some eight million foreign nationals have visited Iran since the beginning of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21, 2019) despite [U.S.] sanctions and a sharp decline in flights by some foreign airlines, tourism minister has said.

Iran third fastest growing tourism destination in 2019: UNWTO

TEHRAN – Iran was ranked the third fastest growing tourism destination in the globe in 2019, with 27.9 percent growth year on year, according to the latest statistics released by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).

European carriers to return to Iranian airspace

TEHRAN - The EU Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) on Wednesday approved that European airlines can return to parts of Iranian and Iraqi airspace. The decision comes three weeks after the Islamic Republic accidentally downed a Ukrainian jetliner amid an exchange of hostilities with U.S. forces in the Iraqi soil.

Three Iranian cities, one village registered by World Crafts Council

TEHRAN – Three Iranian cities and one village have recently been named as world craft hubs by the World Crafts Council - Asia Pacific Region (WCC-APR), tourism minister announced this morning.

Iran proposes visa-free travel among ECO member states

TEHRAN – Iranian tourism minister Ali-Asghar Mounesan on Saturday called for the Economic Cooperation Organization to consider granting visa-free travel for member states.

‘Country-size guesthouse of Iran wholeheartedly ready to receive tourists’

TEHRAN – Iran’s tourism minister on Saturday issued a statement, inviting all travelers and holidaymakers to visit the ancient land, saying that the country-size guesthouse is wholeheartedly ready to receive tourists from around the world. 

Iran formulates action plan to get tourism back on track

TEHRAN – Iran’s Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts has developed an action plan in order to get the country’s tourism sector back on track as it has suffered losses in the wake of recent political tensions in the region.

Iran rules out massive cancelation of inbound tours

TEHRAN – Iran’s deputy tourism minister Vali Teymouri on Monday ruled out speculations that inbound tours have been massively canceled in the wake of recent tragic incidents in the country.

22 tourism projects worth $60m inaugurated in Mazandaran

TEHRAN – A total of twenty two tourism projects, worth 2,515 billion rials (some $60 million at the official rate of 42,000 rials) have been inaugurated in northern Mazandaran province during the first nine months of the current Iranian calendar year (started March 21, 2019).

Iran tourism will rebound despite suffering a severe blow: minister

TEHRAN – Iran’s tourism minister on Sunday said that the country’s tourism industry has suffered a major setback but it will certainly return to “normal”.

U.S. unlikely to target Iran’s cultural sites, tourism minister says

TEHRAN - Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Minister Ali-Asghar Mounesan said on Wednesday that a U.S. attack of Iran’s cultural heritage is ‘unlikely’ to happen. 

Trump’s threat to target Iranian cultural sites ‘a huge crime against the worldwide civilization’

TEHRAN - Cultural and tourism officials, activists and fans across Iran, have signed petitions and issued statements in the past two days over Donald Trump’s threat to target Iranian cultural sites, emphasizing that it equals a huge crime against the worldwide civilization.

World’s first curved glass suspension bridge inaugurated in Iran

TEHRAN – A suspension bridge made of curved sheets of glass, which is the first of its kind in the world, has officially been inaugurated in Ardebil province, northwest Iran, IRIB reported on Friday.

Tourism minister opens 11 eco-lodges in eastern province

TEHRAN – Iran’s tourism minister Ali-Asghar Mounesan on Monday inaugurated eleven eco-lodges during his visit to the eastern South Khorasan province.