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2026-06-14 18:17
By Afshin Majlesi
Alborz artisans share their craft, passion and concerns
TEHRAN - World Handicrafts Day, observed annually on June 10, is an occasion to celebrate the creativity, skills and cultural heritage of artisans around the globe.
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2026-06-13 17:14
Iran, UN Tourism chief discuss rural tourism development
TEHRAN – Iran's Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts, Seyyed Reza Salehi-Amiri, and UN Tourism Secretary-General Shaikha Al Nowais have discussed cooperation on rural tourism, tourism resilience and peace-oriented tourism during a meeting on the sidelines of the 128th session of the UN Tourism Executive Council.
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2026-06-12 17:27
Tehran, Beijing move to expand tourism ties
TEHRAN – Tehran and Beijing are working toward a joint roadmap to expand tourism cooperation and increase people-to-people exchanges, Iran’s minister of cultural heritage, tourism and handicrafts underlined in a meeting with a senior Chinese tourism official in Spain.
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2026-06-12 17:26
Iran, Greece agree to develop tourism cooperation package, explore ‘philosophical tourism’
TEHRAN – Iran and Greece have agreed to draft a joint cooperation package covering tourism, cultural heritage, education, investment and people-to-people exchanges.
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2026-06-09 16:49
Tasting chikoo, papaya and guava; a unique experience for tourists in Darak Village
TEHRAN – Darak Village, a nominee for the UN Tourism Best Tourism Villages 2026 program and located in Zarabad county, Sistan-Baluchestan province, has recently played host to a number of tourists, travel bloggers, content creators and social media influencers who traveled to the region to explore its unique tourism potential, a tourism official told the Tehran Times on Tuesday.
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2026-06-09 16:25
By Afshin Majlesi
Pamenar cited as model for youth return and women’s role in rural tourism development
TEHRAN – Pamenar Village in Iran’s southwestern Khuzestan province has emerged as an example of how rural tourism can help reverse migration, create jobs and strengthen local participation, with young residents and women playing a central role in the village’s development, a tourism official said the Tehran Times on Monday.
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2026-06-06 16:42
Joint initiative planned to revive rural economy through tourism, digital connectivity
TEHRAN - Iran’s Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts said on Saturday that his ministry and the Ministry of Information and Communications Technology are preparing a joint program aimed at creating jobs, expanding tourism and encouraging reverse migration to rural areas.
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2026-06-01 17:18
Mesr village nears global recognition as model of sustainable desert tourism
TEHRAN – The desert village of Mesr, located in Khur and Biabanak county in Iran’s central Isfahan province, has successfully passed the preliminary stages of international evaluation and is now on the verge of being included in the United Nations Tourism (UN Tourism) program recognizing the Best Tourism Villages worldwide.
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2026-05-31 17:32
By Afshin Majlesi
Riab, an example of heritage preservation, sustainable tourism and community participation
TEHRAN – The historical village of Riab in eastern Iran is emerging as a leading example of heritage preservation, sustainable tourism and community participation as it seeks international recognition through the United Nations Tourism (UN Tourism) Best Tourism Villages initiative.
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2026-05-21 01:10
By Afshin Majlesi
Iran government pledges support for rural eco-lodges, village revival
TEHRAN - Iran’s government will continue efforts to remove barriers to rural development and support operators of eco-lodges as part of a broader strategy to revive villages and strengthen local economies and cultural identity, senior officials said on Tuesday at a national conference marking eco-lodge day.
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2026-05-19 19:56
Riab cited as model for community-based tourism
TEHRAN - The village of Riab in eastern Iran has emerged as a model for community-based tourism development and has been nominated as one of Iran’s candidates for the Best Tourism Villages program organized by the UN Tourism.
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2026-05-17 17:54
By Afshin Majlesi
Riab assessed against UN Tourism criteria for global recognition
TEHRAN - Officials in Iran’s Khorasan Razavi province said the village of Riab in Gonabad County is being evaluated according to criteria set by the United Nations tourism body as part of its bid to be recognized among the world’s best tourism villages.
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2026-04-25 20:20
Ilam province draws visitors with lush spring landscapes
TEHRAN - In western Iran, along a 425-kilometer border with Iraq, Ilam province emerges each spring as one of the country’s most compelling seasonal destinations.
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2026-04-19 18:59
Wildlife-friendly Qaleh Bala targets UN Best Tourism Villages recognition
TEHRAN - Perched on the edge of Iran’s vast desert landscapes, Qaleh Bala village has emerged as one of the country’s most compelling candidates for the UN Tourism “Best Tourism Villages” label, an initiative that recognizes rural destinations combining cultural heritage, sustainability, and community-driven development.
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2026-04-18 18:12
UN Tourism opens applications for Best Tourism Villages 2026
TEHRAN - The UN Tourism has opened applications for its Best Tourism Villages 2026 initiative, inviting member states to nominate rural destinations that promote sustainable tourism and community development.
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2026-02-27 15:46
Museum director commemorates Arfa’i as pioneer of Elamite, Old Babylonian studies
TEHRAN – The head of the museum at Persepolis on Thursday marked the memory of professor Abdolmajid Arfa’i, an Elamite scholar and researcher of ancient Elamite and Akkadian languages, who died on Wednesday at the age of 86 after a period of illness.
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2026-02-14 17:17
Desert village Qaleh Bala moves closer to possible UN label
TEHRAN – Cultural heritage authorities in Shahroud have finalized a dossier to nominate the village of Qaleh Bala in Semnan province for inscription by the UN Tourism, a local official said on Saturday.
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2026-02-11 16:25
North Khorasan has capacity to become standalone tourism destination, official says
TEHRAN - North Khorasan province has the capacity to become a complete tourism destination on its own, a senior tourism official said during a one-day visit to the province.
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2026-01-31 17:10
Natural heritage overlooked in Iran’s tourism policy, researcher says
TEHRAN – Iran’s natural heritage is an integral part of the country’s national identity but remains poorly defined, under-prioritized and constrained by institutional conflicts, a natural heritage expert said.
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2026-01-25 17:25
Heritage sites in Fars province to be monitored by drones
TEHRAN – Fars’ cultural heritage department is set to use drones and electronic monitoring systems to oversee nationally and globally registered heritage sites scattered across the southern Iranian province.
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2026-01-24 17:17
By Afshin Majlesi
Tribal tourism: visiting a traditional world in the modern age
TEHRAN - Tribes are a proud and living part of Iran’s civilization, and their thousands of years of experience have turned travel among them into a unique and memorable journey. In an age shaped by speed, technology, and urban life, such a tourism genre offers visitors a rare chance to encounter a way of living that remains closely connected to nature.
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2026-01-20 17:03
Technology, public participation key to protecting historical sites, researcher explains
TEHRAN – Technology can play an effective role in the preservation of historical monuments through documentation, conservation and restoration, Iranian historical heritage researcher Hossein Alizadeh said in an interview published on Sunday.
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2026-01-18 17:00
By Afshin Majlesi
At Tchogha Zanbil, a living monument to Elamite faith and engineering
On a serene plain in southwestern Iran, the stepped ziggurat of Tchogha Zanbil has stood for more than 3,500 years, making it the best-preserved ziggurat outside Mesopotamia and one of the rare surviving monuments of the Elamite civilization.
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2026-01-06 17:12
By Afshin Majlesi
Sarakhieh, Iran’s little Venice
At first, it is hard to believe such a place exists in Iran. But deep inside the vast Shadegan wetland in Khuzestan province, there is a village where water is the main road and boats replace cars. This village is Sarakhieh, often called Iran’s “Little Venice.”
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2025-12-31 18:15
By Afshin Majlesi
Iran, a paradise for nature lovers
TEHRAN - A land of remarkable natural diversity, Iran boasts a great range of natural diversity. From high mountain peaks and peaceful forests to golden deserts and vibrant wetlands, the country has something unique to offer every nature lover.
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2025-12-28 18:07
Tehran to host Nowruz summit with ministers, ambassadors from 18 countries
TEHRAN – Iran is set to host an international Nowruz summit with ministers from 18 countries in Tehran from March 27 to 29, 2026, a senior official from the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts said on Sunday.
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2025-12-23 17:32
Gisoom seeks UN Tourism label for Best Tourism Villages
TEHRAN — Iran’s Gilan provincial department of cultural heritage said it is preparing a bid to have the village of Gisoom included on UN Tourism’s Best Tourism Villages list.
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2025-12-15 17:53
Global tourist arrivals rise 5% in first nine months of 2025
TEHRAN - International tourist arrivals rose 5% in the first nine months of 2025 from a year earlier, exceeding pre-pandemic levels, according to data released by UN Tourism.
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2025-12-14 17:42
By Afshin Majlesi
An inside look at Gorgan’s tribal festival
The 17th International Festival of Tribal Culture, scheduled to take place in Gorgan, the capital of Iran’s Golestan province, from Dec. 16 to 19, is often described as a celebration. But to see it only as a cultural event is to miss its deeper significance.
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2025-12-09 17:07
By Afshin Majlesi
Sa’dabad director outlines major restoration, conservation push at former royal complex in Tehran
TEHRAN – The director of the Sa’dabad Cultural-Historical Complex says the former royal residence in northern Tehran has accelerated restoration and conservation work, completing a long-delayed digital inventory of its holdings while advancing new projects to safeguard thousands of stored objects.