Iran to become member of UNWTO ‘influential’ committees

TEHRAN - Iran’s deputy tourism minister has said the Islamic Republic will be a member of two “influential” committees at the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), IRNA reported.

Ancient salt mine to become more tourist-friendly

TEHRAN – A historically-rich salt mine in Iran’s northwestern Zanjan province, where several salt men and their personal belongings have been discovered so far, will be equipped with tourist-friendly, safety, and electronic systems such as closed-circuit television cameras.

Iran seeks to expand handicrafts market in southern China

TEHRAN – Iran seeks to expand handicrafts exports to southern China, including Guangzhou province, mainly through holding exhibitions and selling products online.

Restoration of 16th-century Portuguese fort in Iran continues

TEHRAN – A fresh restoration work, which entails mapping survey, documentation, and masonry, has been commenced on the 16th-century Portuguese fort in the Persian Gulf island of Hormuz, southern Iran.

Coronavirus: Clean Cave Day to be observed under strict health protocols

TEHRAN – The Iranian Cave and Speleology Association has requested nature lovers and ordinary people not to enter caves on the Clean Cave Day, September 23, saying, this year the occasion will be observed under strict health protocols by experienced cavers.

'Smart, responsible traveling' should replace ‘do not travel' recommendations: tourism minister

TEHRAN – Iranian Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts Ali Asghar Munesan has said that if coronavirus-related restrictions persist, the tourism industry of the country will suffer irreparable losses and many tourism insiders will be bankrupt, adding it’s time to replace “smart and responsible traveling” with “do not travel” recommendations.

77 historical relics, sites identified in plains of Kerman

TEHRAN – A total of 77 historical relics, places, and sites, including ruined fortresses, farmhouses, (archaeological) hills, tombs (or cemeteries), kilns, solo structures, have been identified on the outskirts of Fahraj in Kerman province, southeast Iran.

Archaeologists to save relics before Iron Age cemetery submerged in dam waters

TEHRAN – A team of archaeologists, cultural heritage experts, and diggers plan to recover ancient human remains and relics from an Iron Age cemetery in Mersin, Semnan province, before the cemetery is disappeared under the waters of a nearby dam.

Magnificent Ganjali Khan caravanserai undergoes restoration

TEHRAN – A restoration project has been commenced on the magnificent Ganjali Khan caravanserai, which is part of a 17th-century complex in Kerman, southeast Iran.

Iran should jump-start COVID-hit tourism under health protocols: VP

TEHRAN – First Vice-President Es’haq Jahangiri on Saturday tasked the tourism ministry with implementing strategic plans to help jump-start the country’s traveling sector ravaged by the coronavirus over the past couple of months.

‘Irresponsible’ activities banned in Qeshm Geopark to save UNESCO tag

TEHRAN – Any form of ‘irresponsible’ activities across Iran’s Qeshm Geopark has been ruled to be terminated across Qeshm Geopark, which is on the verge of losing its UNESCO status due to years of misconduct.

Iranian tourism, ancient civilization on show at China exhibit

TEHRAN – A delegation of Iranian crafters and tour operators are attending China International Tourism Industry Expo (CITIE), promoting tourism destinations, arts, and rituals of the ancient land to visitors. 

‘World’s biggest’ pictorial carpet pops up in Tehran

TEHRAN – A massive handwoven carpet, which according to a senior Iranian expert is ‘the biggest and oldest pictorial carpet in the world’ has recently been unveiled in the UNESCO-registered Golestan Palace in downtown Tehran.

Khuzestan loses tourism peak seasons over flood, coronavirus outbreak

TEHRAN- The southwestern province of Khuzestan has lost two main tourism peak seasons over flood and the outbreak of the coronavirus in the country, the deputy provincial tourism chief has said.

Jaghoor Baghoor, the delicious taste of lamb’s pluck, made intangible cultural heritage

TEHRAN – The traditions know-how of cooking Jaghoor Baghoor, the delicious taste of lamb’s pluck, has been added to the intangible cultural heritage for local communities in Zanjan province, west central Iran. 

By Afshin Majlesi

The future of travel in Iran

Ubiquitous face masks, partitions, social distances, customer-service protocols, not-yet-fulfilled refunds, and self-quarantined at home on a mass scale, as well as closed borders, canceled events, and changing policies challenge tourism industry insiders to forecast what the lingering impact of the novel coronavirus could be on the way we travel.

 Third Parthian skeleton unearthed in Isfahan

TEHRAN – Iranian archaeologists have discovered the remains of an ancient human in a prehistorical mount in Isfahan, central Iran, saying that is “the third Parthian skeleton” being unearthed there over the past couple of weeks.

Iran ranks tenth on UNESCO World Heritage list

TEHRAN - Iran ranks 10th in the world in terms of the number of historical monuments and sites registered on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

Vice president declares strategic plan for tourism development

TEHRAN - First Vice-President Es’haq Jahangiri on Monday declared a strategic plan for the development of the national tourism industry.

Collector donates Sassanid silver coins to national museum

TEHRAN – An Iranian collector has donated over 50 silver coins dating back to the Sassanid era (224 CE–651) to the Astan Quds Razavi Museum, a vast cultural heritage exhibition located in the holy shrine complex of Imam Reza (AS) in Mashhad, northeast Iran.

Ardebil ready to jumpstart tourism after coronavirus

TEHRAN – The tourism sector of Ardebil province, northwestern Iran, is prepared to recover after the coronavirus crisis ends, a provincial tourism chief has said.

International Craft Awards to focus on COVID-19 crisis: deputy minister

TEHRAN – The 4th International Craft Awards is slated to be held this year focusing on the impact of the coronavirus crisis on the handicraft industry, Iran’s deputy tourism minister has said. 

Mapping survey discovers ancient sites in southern Iran

TEHRAN – Tens of centuries-old relics and sites have recently been discovered during a mapping survey, which is underway across the Marvdasht plain, which is an archaeologically-rich area once the seat of power for the Achaemenid Persian Empire (c. 550 – 330 BC) in southern Iran.

By  Seyed Hossein Hosseiniseddiq

Muharram mourning rituals: Nakhlgardani in Shahroud

Nakhlgardani or palm-carrying ritual is the carrying of a huge wooden coffin and is a symbol of Muharram mourning in Iran. In the first decade of this month, the coffin, while covered with black and green cloth, is carried by numerous mourners due to its heavyweight. This structure is kept in Husseiniyehs (religious places) and mosques for the rest of the year.

Private sector investing $7.3b in Khorasan Razavi tourism projects

TEHRAN – Currently, 243 tourism-related projects worth 310 trillion rials (around $7.3 billion at the official rate of 42,000 rials) are currently being developed in Khorasan Razavi province by private investors. 

We have to hire 300,000 workers to enhance cultural heritage protection: minister

TEHRAN – Iran’s tourism minister has said that his ministry must hire 300,000 workers in a bid to enhance the protection of cultural heritage sites, relics, and monuments.

Children’s tourism company makes debut in Iran

TEHRAN – The first company in Iran specialized in children’s cultural tourism has been registered in the UNESCO-tagged city of Yazd aiming to pay more attention to children and make them happier.

If tourism brings us together, then travel restrictions keep us apart: UNWTO Secretary-General

TEHRAN – In his latest massage regarding the impact on the COVID-19 pandemic on tourism, the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Secretary-General has said “If tourism brings us together, then travel restrictions keep us apart.”

Committee formed to safeguard ancient cisterns, watermills in Meybod

TEHRAN – A cultural heritage committee has been set up tasked to lay the ground for safeguarding ancient cisterns, watermills, public bathhouses, and qanats (subterranean aqueducts), which are scattered in and around the oasis city of Meybod, central Yazd province.