Tehran, Bishkek agree to ease visa rules, resume direct flights

TEHRAN – Iran and Kyrgyzstan have agreed to facilitate visa issuance and resume direct flights by the end of the current Iranian month of Azar (Dec. 21), YJC quoted Iran’s deputy transport minister Shahram Adamnejad as saying on Wednesday.

Azerbaijan willing to receive more tourists from Iran

TEHRAN – The Republic of Azerbaijan intends to receive more arrivals from Iran so as to attain a balance in tourist exchange rate between the two neighbors.

By Palash Ghosh

Iran tourism: Sector may get huge boost from China in defiance of U.S. sanctions

Despite the imposition of U.S. sanctions on various sectors of its economy, Iran is enjoying something of a boom in its tourism industry – with China possibly preparing to play a big role.

Chabahar to host IORA tourism ministers’ meeting

TEHRAN – Tourism ministers from the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) will come together in Iran’s port city of Chabahar in the next Iranian calendar year (March 2020-March 2021), CHTN reported on Tuesday.

Tehran, Tashkent discuss enhanced tourism, cultural heritage co-op

TEHRAN – Iran’s tourism minister Ali-Asghar Mounesan and Uzbekistan’s ambassador in Tehran Bakhodir Abdullaev exchanged views to strengthen mutual ties in the arenas of tourism, cultural heritage, and handicrafts.

International arrivals in Iran reach 6.7 million since March

TEHRAN – Some 6.7 million foreign nationals have visited Iran since the beginning of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21), IRNA reported.

Iran starts issuing electronic visas for Pakistani citizens

TEHRAN - Iran has launched an e-visa system for Pakistani citizens in order to facilitate their travels through abolishing old-fashioned paper visas.

Iranian, Chinese provinces seeking closer tourism ties

TEHRAN – The Iranian province of Isfahan and the Chinese province of Guizhou have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to lay the ground for deepening tourism ties.

Iranian cuisine, culture attracts visitors at Slovenia exhibit

TEHRAN – Visitors to a Slovenian charity exhibition highly welcomed Iran’s stalls which turned the spotlight on the country’s cuisine, handicrafts, ancient traditions, and tourism destinations.

Hotel projects worth $380m underway in northwest Iran

TEHRAN – A total of eight five- and four-star hotels are being built in Iran’s northwestern East Azarbaijan province with a total budget of 16 trillion rials (about $380 million).

Shiraz to be assessed for being a world city of handicrafts

TEHRAN – A delegation of experts and assessors from the World Crafts Council is slated to visit Shiraz for investigating the possibility of naming it a world city of handicrafts.

Tehran welcomes Beijing's initiative to revive glory of ancient Silk Road

TEHRAN – Iran’s tourism minister Ali-Asghar Mounesan has said Iran backs China’s initiative for reviving the glory of ancient Silk Road, which existed for thousands of years, passing through many different empires, kingdoms, reigns and societies throughout history.

How to explore the tundra: routes and ideas

A trip to the tundra will definitely make for an unforgettable once-in-a-lifetime experience. We have compiled a list of accessible and interesting places to visit in Russia, where you can explore the real tundra. Let’s get started, or as the Russians say — Poekhali!

Tehran, Beijing hold enormous potential for tourism co-op: minister

TEHRAN – Iran’s tourism minister Ali-Asghar Mounesan on Thursday called for tapping into Iran-China tourism capacity, which he referred to it as “enormous”, Fars reported on Friday. 

Lavishly decorated house to be turned into boutique hotel

TEHRAN – Private landlord of Mollabashi (Motamedi) house in the city of Isfahan is to turn the centuries-old mansion into a boutique hotel, Mehr reported on Saturday.

Nakhchivan to lift visa requirements for Iranian travelers

TEHRAN – The Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic is to waive visa requirements for tourists from Iran.

Italian, Japanese expertise to help reinforce Tehran museum

TEHRAN – Italian, Japanese and Iranian engineering firms are set to join hands in a project for reinforcing and strengthening the “Ancient Iran” section of the National Museum of Iran, director of the museum said on Sunday, Fars reported.

UNESCO-tagged monastery’s main dome restored

TEHRAN – Main dome of the Monastery of Saint Thaddeus, a UNESCO-registered property in northwest Iran, has recently been restored successfully, IRNA reported on Tuesday.

Handmade carpets, tableau rugs to go on show in Tehran

TEHRAN – Domestic producers and exhibitors of handwoven Persian carpets, rugs and tableau rugs will showcase their works at an exhibit, which opens tomorrow at the Niavaran Cultural-Historical Complex in northern Tehran.

Yazd festival to highlight better tourism infrastructure for the physically-impaired

TEHRAN – The city of Yazd will host a special tourism festival which aims to raise public awareness of the need to improve infrastructure for travelling of physically-impaired people.

By Afshin Majlesi

Iran at the height of travel season

TEHRAN – Perhaps it is tough to define a best time for visiting Iran, which is known as a four-season country, I mean spring, summer, fall and winter; each having its own charms and travel lovers.

More Russian travelers getting interested in Iran: ATOR

TEHRAN – Iran, as an open-air museum of cultural heritage, is steadily attracting the attention of more Russians, Maya Lomidze, president of the Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR), has said.

Turkish arrivals in Iran rising

TEHRAN - Iran’s deputy tourism minister Vali Teymouri has said the number of Turkish arrivals in Iran has increased by 35 percent over the past year.

Kazakhstan considering to ease visa rules for Iranians

TEHRAN - Kazakhstan is considering to ease visa rules for Iranian traders and travelers as of the next spring, Kazakh ambassador to Tehran Askhat Orazbay has said.

Kerman’s H1 foreign arrivals up 16% y/y

TEHRAN - International tourist arrivals in Iran’s southeastern Kerman province rose 16 percent in the first half of the current Iranian calendar year (started March 21) from a year earlier.

Timurid-era relics seized from a smuggler in Iran

TEHRAN – A haul of ancient relics, which is estimated to date back to the Timurid-era (1370–1507), has recently been confiscated from a smuggler in Zanjan, west-central Iran.

Tribal rituals, arts and crafts on show at Kermanshah festival

TEHRAN – Tribespeople and nomads, who are natives of 21 Iranian provinces, on Saturday started showcasing and promoting their rituals, arts, crafts and souvenirs at a national festival in the western city of Kermanshah.

Get the most out of a visit to Iran

TEHRAN - It’s nice to visit must-see attractions, as much as you can, while traversing a country. When people start planning their travels to Iran, they mostly think of big cities such as Tehran, Isfahan, Yazd, and Shiraz or ancient sights such as Persepolis or Jame Mosque of Isfahan.

Ardakan hosts horse beauty festival

TEHRAN – The 28th edition of Iranian Purebred Horse Beauty Festival was held in Ardakan, central Yazd province, with the participation of 218 horses from across the country.

“The Kalevala”, Shungite stones and Kalitki pies: Things to do in Karelia