TEHRAN— Deputy Tourism Minister Anoushirvan Mohseni Bandpei has emphasized the growth in Iran’s rural tourism aimed to empower local communities and help reverse migration to villages.

Speaking at the media meeting with the Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts, which was held at Fajr Hall on Tuesday, he said that the slogan of this year’s Tourism Week was ‘Empowering the Local Communities’. This concept is one of the main principles in materializing the sustainable tourism, he added.

He also said that for the first time, 140 trillion rials ($140 million) was allocated to support the rural jobs and handicrafts sector, which is considered an important step toward promoting the rural economy and creating sustainable employment. 

Mohseni Bandpei added that the creativity of rural youth can be a driving force behind the development of tourism in villages and ultimately pave the way for a return to the trend of reverse migration. 

The deputy minister announced the submission of the registration of three villages, Soheili (Hormozgan province), Kandelous (Mazandaran) and Shafiabad  (Kerman), to the World Tourism Organization.

Mohseni Bandpei also announced Iran's active interaction with UNWTO and said: “Information about the villages nominated for world registration under the ‘Iranian Model Tourism Villages’ project has been uploaded to the organization's system. This measure is an effective step in introducing Iran's rural tourism capacities internationally and strengthening the country's national tourism brand.”

He said: “Previously there was neglect in providing information to the World Tourism Organization about the villages. This year we said, 'Check it out, we will provide you with any information you want.' We introduced eight villages. This year, three villages have been selected as model tourism villages, which is an achievement of the 14th Government. The village registration ceremony will be held in China, and we will also participate online.”

Mohseni Bandpei continued that one of the major goals of this ministry is to identify and scientifically introduce tourism potentials in all provinces of the country. Each province of Iran has unique cultural, natural and historical advantages, and efforts are being made to systematically introduce and exploit these potentials, he added.

Referring to the holding of 400 provincial events during the Tourism Week, he said that in addition to strengthening social vitality, these programs have led to a better introduction of local potentials and economic prosperity in different regions of the country.

Pointing to the global importance of responsible tourism and environmental protection, he said: This year, the World Tourism Organization has emphasized ‘protecting the planet Earth’, and in this regard, the plan to award the green label to environmentally friendly hotels in the country was implemented. So far, several hotels have succeeded in receiving this label, he added.

On Iran's international interactions in the field of tourism, he said: “Iraq is one of the most important target countries in attracting the foreign tourists. Currently, negotiations are underway with Iraqi authorities so that the travel of tourists from this country is not limited to pilgrimage destinations only and visits to Iran's cultural, historical and natural attractions are also included in their plans.”

He finally emphasized that tourism development is not limited to creating infrastructure, but is a cultural, social and economic process that must be pursued by relying on local knowledge, public participation and environmental protection. The mission of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage in the new era is to move towards sustainable, popular and world-class tourism, he added.

KD