Iranian tourism: The government in Tehran has drawn up a list of 1,500 projects that it plans to develop to turn the country’s nascent tourist sector into a $30bn industry. “Iran plans to attract 20 million tourists to the country over the next 10 years,” the head of Iranian Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization Massoud Soltanifar told Trend at the 7th Global Forum of the UN Alliance of Civilizations in Baku yesterday, and called on domestic and international investors to cooperate with the government to make it happen. The construction of hotels in several cities of historic and religious importance was already under way, he added.
Tourism revenues came to just under $1.3m in 2013, according to the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), while the World Bank estimates that 4.96 million of the world’s 1.175 billion inbound tourists who between them spent $1.43 trillion made their way to Iran in 2014.
top 20 things to see in iran
Visitors to the Trip Advisor website voted the following destinations as Iran’s top 20 ‘must see’ attractions
- Persepolis
- Imam Square, Isfahan
- Isfahan Music Museum
- Imam Reza Holy Shrine
- Sheikh Loftollah Mosque, Esfahan
- The National Jewelry Treasury, Tehran
- Shah-eCheragh Shrine, Shiraz
- Nasir al-Mulk Mosque, Shiraz
- jame Mosque of Isfahan
- Yazd Old Town
- Khajou Bridge, Esfahan
- Siosepol Bridge, Esfahan
- Golestan Palace, Tehran
- Towers of Silence Yazd
- Tabiat Bridge, Tehran
- Vank Cathedral, Esfahan
- Tomb of Hafez, Shiraz
- Darband, Tehran
- Milad Tower, Tehran
- Sadabaad Palace, Tehran