Iran says it will offer a tax break of 13 years to hoteliers in what appears to be part of a policy devised to promote the country’s tourism industry.
“All economic activities related to… tourism will enjoy 100 percent tax holidays between five to 13 years depending on the region,” AFP quoted Iran’s Deputy Economy Minister Mohammad Khazaei as saying at an international tourism summit in Tehran.
Visitor numbers have already boomed in recent years, rising from 2.2 million annually in 2009 to 5.2 million in 2015, AFP added.
Iran has an ambitious target to increase annual visitor count by five folds to 20 million by 2025 in order to generate $30 billion a year. On the same front, the media reported last December that the country is constructing 125 new four- and five-star hotels.
This has already encouraged international hoteliers to devise plans to invest in Iran’s hotel industry. Hotel groups in the Persian Gulf Arab states are specifically believed to have already taken measures to boost their portfolios in Iran.
Hotel groups from Germany, Greece, South Korea and Singapore have also engaged in talks with officials in Tehran over hotel construction plans.
Europe’s largest hotel group Accor has also constructed two four-star hotels at Imam Khomeini International Airport outside the Iranian capital.
The UAE-based Rotana plans to open its five-star 600-room hotel in Tehran this year and another in the pilgrimage city of Mashhad.
Also, officials in Ankara announced in May that the country’s investors will be allowed to build at least 10 hotels in Iran. The hotels would be built in Tehran, Isfahan, Shiraz, Tabriz and Mashhad.
Close to 40 foreign investors have traveled to Iran to study the country’s tourism market, said the head of International Conference on Investment in Tourism Industry.
Masoud Soltanifar, who is also head of Iran Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization, further said that following the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) — the landmark nuclear deal signed between Iran and the world six major powers in July 2015 — foreign investors are more eager to participate in Iran’s tourism market.
“We should provide the investors with appropriate information regarding Iran’s tourism market,” he said.
He also said the foreign investors would contribute in training the manpower, improving the services and enhancing the management of tourism installations. Then, they will make direct investment in tourism sector, he added.
Also, head of Parliament’s Cultural Commission said holding the international conference is an ideal opportunity for boosting tourism.
Nasrollah Pejmanfar added, “If we want to experience oil-free economy, we should consider the country’s other potentials including agriculture, industry and tourism.”
The best way to boost economy and generate revenues is to enhance the tourism sector, he said.
Deputy Head of ICHHTO for Investment Affairs Saeed Shirkavand said 50 international companies have been invited for the event.
He also said foreign investors particularly Europeans have sought for more information regarding investment environment in Iran.
Executive Secretary of International Conference on Investment in Tourism Industry Gholamheydar Ebrahim Bai-Salami said the international conference would be held in line with promoting the tourism industry and hotel management in Iran.
An investment package themed “100 Hotels, 100 Businesses’ will be unveiled during the seminar, he added.
Apart from big companies in hotel management industry, 60 foreign firms and holdings will take part in the event, he said..
International Conference on Investment in Tourism Industry will be held at Tehran’s IRIB International Conference Center and Homa Hotel during Oct. 2-3.
Pete R.: I thought I knew what a good hospitality is like.. until I came to Iran.
“Why go to Iran?” This is a question people often asked when I tell them I was going there. I would have ask the same if it wasn’t the words of mouth I heard over the years about how awesome Iran is, how incredibly friendly the people are, and how off the beaten path the whole country is.
The first day I arrived in Tehran, I was walking around the Bazaar and we were approached by several locals asking what we think about Iran, gave us free tea and cakes, and allowed us to roam their warehouses without asking for anything in return. This similar scenario happened a lot more throughout my 2 weeks time in Iran and really got me thinking about how misinformed I was about the country. It is very safe to travel in Iran, easy to do it independently as the locals will go out of their ways to help you, and the people are one of the friendliest people in the world. Not to mention how beautiful the landscape is, how stunning all the attractions are, and how off the beaten track the whole country is.
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Iran is truly a special country that with restore your heart and soul and I hope that this video shows at least half of the warmth I got from the amazing people in Iran.
Location: Tehran, Qazvin, Alamut, Shiraz, Yazd, Esfahan, Kashan
Camera Gear: Sony RX100 M3 (blog.bucketlistly.com/post/145558191893/travel-photography-gear-guide-light-travel)
Music: “Esmerelda” – Ben Howard
Twitter: twitter.com/peachananr
Photo blog: photos.bucketlistly.com
Travel blog: blog.bucketlistly.com
License Video: dissolve.com/products?media_type=video&producer=Pete+R&sort_by_date=true
Nomads have one of the most attractive life styles that can be seen in the modern world. They are not primitive like some faraway Islanders rather they are mainly known for being on the move. When talking about Iran, Nomads are mentioned as one of its highlights. Seeing such a traditional life style just a few miles away from the modern cities is a wonderful life-time experience.
Nomads spread all around Iran in different regions including west and south-west, East and south-east, north west and finally north east and center. Each region is resident to some of the tribes who live in that area; Afshar tribe in the north-east, Balouch in the south-east, Shahsavan in the North West are just a few examples. Still, the biggest nomadic population lives in the west and south-west near Zagros Mountains located in 6 south-western provinces including Kurdistan, Kermanshah, Ilam, Isfahan, Chahar-Mahal Bakhtiari, kohkilooye and Fars.
Bakhtiaris and Ghashghaees
The biggest and most well-known tribes in Iran are Bakhtiaris, Ghashghaees and Khamseh. Bakhriaris as the biggest nomadic tribe who live on western part of Chahar Mahal province and move along way to the East of Khouzestan province in the winter. Ghashghaee (Qashqaee), the second famous nomadic tribe, live in different parts of Fars, the south part of Isfahan and near the Persian Gulf. Most of the year, they are on the move between their summer and winter resorts and they stay mainly in big rectangular tents. Although, many of these were forced to settle down some 100 years ago or decided to abandon their nomadic life, still some big population of nomads is on the move. There are approximately one million moving nomads divided into 96 major tribes.
As the settlement and passing routes of Bakhtiaris and Ghashghaees overlap with touristy routes, there are many possibilities for paying a visit. In fact, Fars province is hosting the biggest nomadic population probably because the biggest nomadic tribes reside (at least temporarily) in this region. Some of the tribes pass through the Fars province; others move from southern parts to the northern parts and take a shorter trip to reach their summer destination. The latter reside in the plains near ZarinDasht, Neyriz, Fasa , Simakan, Ghir, FirouzAbad, Farashband, and Kazeroon and then move to Abadeh, Eghlid, Bavanat, Sepidan, Khorambid, and Pasargadae to find their summer resort. The spring movement usually takes place after the New Year at the beginning of April.
Needless to say that famous Sassanid sites are located in Firouzabad and Kazeroon which are common routes for these tribes as well. As Isfahan and Shiraz are major tourist destinations, it is common to plan a visit near Isfahan (Semirom) and near Shiraz (FirouzAbad or Kohmare) where they usually reside for a few months.
Nomadic life has many interesting aspect which cannot be explained in a short article. Their attractive colorful dresses, special music, invaluable handicrafts, different type of carpets such as Glim, Jajim, Gabbe are a few examples of their fabulous life. Fortunately, their genuine art and products are still preserved and unaffected by modernity. But to enjoy these extraordinary and amazing aspects, you have to experience it first-hand.
Itinerary
IRAN nomads tour in warm seasons is approximately from May to October. We say “approximately” because the arriving of the warm seasons can vary in different years for a couple of weeks. Our route in Iran to meet the nomads in warm season is usually the colder areas of southwest, west and northwest of Iran and depending the length of the time you want to stay with nomads and the tribes you want to meet we can adjust the itinerary.
Please note that this description is by no means complete. It was a mere attempt to give tourists a general account of various nomadic tribes scattered in different parts of Iran. To have a deeper sense of this aspect of Persian land, further readings and a personal visit are beyond question.
By Tom Allen : It’s really, really lovely to hear this reaction from viewers of Karun. It is exactly the reaction I’d hoped for, ever since my idea to make a travel documentary in Iran was born.
Best of all, it is a natural reaction.
We designed the adventure loosely to let Iran and the Iranians we met speak for themselves. They did. That’s what’s elicits the “wow”.
However, it is possible that by waiting so long (I’ve been visiting Iran annually since 2008) and then investing so much time in making the film (nearly two years at the time of writing), I may actually have missed my own boat.
The aim with Karun was always to try and paint a more nuanced portrait of this misunderstood nation, and to make it feel like a viable destination for travel. Following the longest river in the country was just an excuse. But in the 18 months or so between our journey and the film’s launch, it seems Iran has already become such a destination.
I don’t quite know how it happened, but the pioneers of the adventure travel industry, sniffing the wind, had been way ahead of the game, ensuring that the moment Iran became ‘safe’ – as it has this year, according to the ever-reliable FCO travel advice page – there was an offer on the table. Indeed, I remember suggesting Iran to one particular operator after returning from the Karun trip. Their first expedition to the country departed last month.
And the mainstream is catching up. Only last week there was a travel industry event in London on the topic of exploiting Iran’s potential as a destination. Wanderlust’s latest issue features a lengthy piece on Iran. An editor I spoke to at a travel publishing house is working through a dozen book proposals set in the country.
And every major broadsheet (or former broadsheet) in the UK has published, during 2015, at least one lengthy feature on Iran as the next big travel destination. Witness correspondents from The Times, The Telegraph, The Guardian and The Independent all attempting to be seen as breaking new ground by visiting a 6,000-year-old civilization. (OK, Chris used to live there, but you know what I mean.)
Even the Daily Mail has followed suit (obviously this link implies no endorsement), which is, as we all know, the best possible measure of mainstream British sentiment there is.
Part of it is undoubtedly what the media have cast as a ‘thawing of relations’ between Iran and the West. The widely-propagated narrative has been one in which the mardy mullahs, having suffered for years under sanctions imposed by austere Western diplomats, finally decide to sit down over a glass of chay and come to a compromise over the small question of nuclear weapons (which, as we all know, only Western powers have ever been trustworthy enough keep pointed at their neighbours). Another righteous victory for the West; this time, somewhat surprisingly, without resorting to bombing the shit out of another Middle Eastern nation.
I digress. The point is that, by the time our film was released, Iran’s image had already softened.
And several things happened upon the prospect of such a historic kiss-and-make-up between Rouhani and Obama. One was that rich businessmen immediately jumped in their private jets and flew to Tehran in order to see how they might profit from the imminent opening-up of yet another new market. Another was that travellers (and travel journalists) started wondering whether imminent political reconciliation meant that it was suddenly viable to travel to Iran.
Putting aside the questionable logic of two presidents ‘phoning each other having the slightest impact upon the likelihood of being obliterated while taking a selfie outside the gates of Persepolis (which tourists have been continuing to do uninterrupted for centuries), it is wonderful that Iran has started to become ‘a destination’ in the minds of more of us.
And Karun will no doubt feed into this mood-swing in favour of revisiting our long-lost Persian friends.
This is all part of a bigger story, of course, which is that of Iran’s imminent reintegration into global society; a story that goes beyond the remits of newspaper travel sections, all-too-often so sickeningly colonial in tone; and of international affairs correspondents whose agenda is set solely in terms of the nuclear narrative. And this bigger story is one I’m much closer to, given that I’m married to a native Tehrani.
From this perspective, the opening-up of Iran has bugger all to do with Western tourists and the non-existent nuclear weapons programme; and everything to do with the lifting of pressure from the shoulders of ordinary Iranians – pressure which, I hardly need add, has been put there deliberately by foreign powers (including our own government) as a way of blackmailing Iran’s politicians to bend the knee Westwards.
When it costs you a tenner to send a single Christmas card abroad; when you’re afraid to take a domestic flight because you know the plane manufacturer isn’t allowed to sell you spare parts; when you can never take a foreign holiday because the money you earn is worthless and every visa application you make is rejected without explanation anyway – that’s what our politicians have been inflicting upon my mother-in-law, my father-in-law, their extended family, my friends in the country, and 80 million other ordinary Iranians, for years.
It’s these pressures that I can’t wait to see lifted. It’s for the sake of people close to me and those I can identify with. I honestly don’t care if it means that I won’t be able to travel comfortably in Iran on £50 a week because the rial is stronger, or that everyone I meet on the street doesn’t immediately drag me – no longer the first Brit they’ve met in years – back to their home for tea/kebab/stay the night/stay another night/marry my daughter.
Altogether, there’s little doubt that the seed now planted – barring something major happening to turn the tables once again – will see ever increasing numbers of travellers to the Islamic Republic, particularly when the visa regime is loosened, as it inevitably will be (by the way, you’ll need to ask The Visa Machine, not me, for the latest news on this).
Of course, with the territory comes the Smug Traveller with something new to brag about – “Really? Well, when I was travelling in Iran…”
And the equally irritating Superior Traveller – “Yeah, Iran’s so popular now… such a shame…” – a sigh, a wistful gaze into the middle distance as memories of when Iran was actually worth visiting come flooding back. (Diddums.)
Yes, things are going to change. Iranians are going to become accustomed to increasing numbers of tourists appearing on their streets, at their historical sites, in their hotels and restaurants. The rial will strengthen, and the cost of travel to the foreigner will increase from embarrassingly cheap to something approaching respectable. And the novelty of being a foreigner in Iran is likely to become a thing of the past.
But you know what? That is the way forward. The day we can travel anywhere on Earth, be momentarily intrigued by those minor cultural differences that breathe fresh air into our experience of life, and then look our fellow humans in the eye and know that we are more or less the same, rather than being aliens to each other; that we share equally the planet we wander, rather than one of us being born free and rich and the other not – that is the day we will have achieved something of which today’s patterns of travel are just an embryonic smudge.
In any case, come 2016, somewhere else will be populating the newspapers’ travel sections as the Next Big Thing…
Persepolis is the name of the ancient cities of Iran that for years ceremonial capital of the Empire was the Achaemenid Empire of Iran at the time. The location of the works since 1979 registered in UNESCO World Heritage.
Persepolis ( Old Persian Parsa , Takht-e Jamshid or Chehel Minar) was the ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid Empire (ca. 550-330 BCE). Persepolis is situated 70 km northeast of the modern city of Shiraz in the Fars Province of modern Iran. In contemporary Persian, the site is known as Takht-e Jamshid (Throne of Jamshid) and Parseh . The earliest remains of Persepolis date from around 515 BCE. To the ancient Persians, the city was known as Parsa, which means “The City of Persians”. Persepolis is the Greek interpretation of the name ( Perses polis : “Persian city”).
UNESCO declared the citadel of Persepolis a World Heritage Site in 1979.
The uneven plan of the foundation of the terrace acted like a castle whose angled walls enabled its defenders to target any section of the external front. See also: Apadana Palace, Ancient texts, Museums
Chinese tourists come to Iran more than before.Annie Dai that introduced herself “Chinese girl living in Paris” visiting IRAN. She shares her photos from IRAN trip in Instagram from Kashan, Tehran, Shiraz, Persepolice, Tochal Ski resort, yazd, Abyane and …Xiaoye Xuan is with Annie in IRAN trip.
Iran Overhauls Tourism Industry to Court Chinese Tourists
By: Taylor Butch/ Tourism, a topic discussed when China Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani last January in Tehran, has become central to the Islamic Republic agenda, especially after finalizing the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action last month.
In recent years, Iran has laid the groundwork to capitalize on the large number of Chinese citizens traveling abroad, more than 100 million in 2014. Deputy of Iran Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization (ICHHTO) Morteza Rahmani Movahed, disclosed in June 2014 that Iran plans to attract 5 percent of China’s overseas tourists and desires to boost the number of overall foreign visitors from 4.5 million in 2013 to 10 million by 2019 within the framework of the 2025 Vision Plan. He noted that Iran desires to draw 20 million annual tourists in the next decade, generating an estimated $25-30 billion.
Iran has steadily invested in its tourism infrastructure and the world is taking note. Its ranking in the World Economic Forum, Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report, has improved in the past four years, from 114 in 2011 to 97 in 2015. However, Tehran did not make the report’s Middle East and North Africa list of Top 10 most tourism-ready economies.
Steady progress notwithstanding, Iranian officials have stated that improvements are needed because it lacks adequate tourism infrastructure.
“Iran lacks the proper infrastructure required to survive in the highly competitive tourism market,” chairman of Iran-China Chamber of Commerce Assadollah Asgaroladi said in 2014. “Even if we succeed in attracting the targeted 5 million Chinese tourists by [2015], we would not have sufficient hotels of international standard to accommodate the travelers nor do we have enough number of trained Chinese tour guides,” he added.
To its credit, Tehran has recognized these weak spots and moved to increase the number of hotels and create educational framework to produce quality Chinese speakers.
In 2014, Iran overhauled its hotel industry, investing $220 million in hotels and other similar establishments. Officials have strategized to build more four-and-five star hotels, as only 130 out of 1,100 hotels hold this status.
“By 2025, the number of four-and-five star hotels in Iran must rise to 400, ICHTO head Masoud Soltanifar, recently told PressTV, further noting that 125 are presently being erected.
Starting this March, Iranian officials plan to offer an income tax-exemption for five-years to incentivize companies to build more hotels, particularly in less developed parts of the country, Seyed Kamel Taqavinejad, head of Iranian Tax Administration said, according to the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, IRNA reported.
In 2009, University of Tehran and Yunnan University of China joint-sponsored the first Confucius Institute in Iran, educating 57 students during its inaugural year. Other institutions, including University of Tehran last December, have launched Chinese language programs.
To accommodate a rise in tourists, last October, direct-flights increased in frequency between the two nations. Iran’s Mahan Air, now departs three-times per week and China Southern Airlines also flies nonstop to Iran. Direct travel will benefit Iran’s business and tourism sectors, as economic and investment delegations jockey to enter the Iranian market.
Why has Tehran gone to such lengths to court Chinese tourists?
During President Xi’s first trip to Iran last month, the two countries decided to escalate trade to $600 billion during the next decade, and agreed on major financial deals, including likely having the world’s largest bank in terms of money, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, open branches in Iran. This deal, if finalized, should pay high dividends to both countries.
With a report by Fung Business Intelligence Center and China Luxury Advisors forecasting the number of Chinese outward tourists to swell to 234 million and their spending to hit $422 billion by 2020, according to Wall Street Journal, Iran is poised to see a return on investment.
By David Sim: The lifting of sanctions on Iran as a result of its nuclear deal with world powers could result in a huge tourism boom. Iran made it on to the top destination lists of major publications such as The Financial Times and The Guardian in 2015 thanks to sights that include 2,500-year-old ruins at Persepolis near Shiraz and 16th-century Islamic architectural gems in Isfahan.
The World Travel Market 2015 Industry Report said Iran was set to become a tourism hotspot. Adventurous tourists are already rushing to discover the riches the country has to offer, including ancient ruins, pristine beaches and popular ski resorts. In this gallery, IBTimes UK presents 30 photos of beautiful sights that should be on every itinerary.
The ancient city of Isfahan, the former Persian capital from 1598 to 1722, is considered one of the most beautiful cities in the world – and is Iran’s number-one tourist destination. Leafy streets, hand-painted tiling and the famous Islamic architecture are unparalleled by any other Iranian city, centred around the magnificent Unesco-listed Naghsh-e Jahan Square. One of the world’s largest city squares, it is home to several magnificent monuments, the Shah Mosque, the Lotfollah Mosque, the Ali Qapu Palace and the Imperial Bazaar/iStock
Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque, built in the early 1600s, was the first of four monuments that dominate Isfahan’s huge Naqsh-e-Jahan Square. The marble mosque is decorated throughout with exquisite tiles and calligraphy/iStock
The Shah Mosque or Imam Mosque, a Unesco World Heritage site on Naghsh-e Jahan Square in Isfahan, is regarded as one of the masterpieces of Persian Architecture, with stunning mosaics and calligraphic inscriptions/iStock
The highly ornamented Ali Qapu Palace is located on Naqsh e Jahan Square, opposite the Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque in Isfahan/iStock
The Bazaar of Isfahan, a vaulted two-kilometre street linking the old city with the new, is one of the oldest and largest markets in the Middle East/iStock
Isfahan’s Allāhverdi Khan Bridge, more popularly known as Si-o-seh pol, has two rows of 33 arches over the Zayandeh River/iStock
Vank Cathedral, also known as Holy Saviour Cathedral, is an Armenian Apostolic church built in the early 1600s in Isfahan/ iStock
In the 17th century, Isfahan was home to around 3,000 magnificent towers built to house pigeons. About 300 remain scattered throughout the countryside around the city/ iStock
Abyaneh is one of the oldest villages in Iran. Located at 2,500m above sea level in Isfahan province, the village is a jumble of houses packed one on top the other on the slopes of Mount Karkas. The walls of the houses are made of mud bricks that contain a lot of iron oxides, giving them a reddish colour/ iStock
Dizin, established in 1969, is the most popular ski resort in Iran. The ski season here runs from December to May – longer than European resorts because of its high altitude (3,600m, making it one of the 40 highest ski resorts in the world)iStock
Darbandsar, 60km to the north-east of Tehran, is one of the newest ski resorts in Iran. It offers a variety of winter sports such as snowboarding, mountain climbing, cross-country and off-piste skiing, etc/iStock
Founded by Darius I in 518 BC, Persepolis was the ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid Empire and is situated around 70km north-east of the city of Shiraz/iStock
The tomb of Cyrus the Great, in the Pasargadae World Heritage Site, is believed to date back to the 4th century BC/iStock
Narenjestan-e Qavam, the Qavam Orange Grove, is a 19th-century garden in Shiraz. It leads to the elegant Qavam House, decorated in a style inspired by Victorian era Europe/iStock
The Nasir ol Molk Mosque in Shiraz is also known as the Pink Mosque, thanks to colour of the tiles used to decorate the interior. It looks particularly beautiful with light streaming through its coloured glass windows/iStock
Tehran lacks the beautiful architecture of Isfahan and the history of Persepolis, but makes up for it with its range of restaurants, cafés, museums and art galleries – and its location at the foothills of the Alborz mountains make for fantastic walking trails/iStock
Golestan Palace is a Unesco world heritage site in Tehran, and part of a former royal complex that includes palaces and museums, decorated with intricately carved marble and mirrored halls/iStock
Milad Tower, also known as the Tehran Tower, is the sixth tallest tower in the world. Standing at 435m (1,427ft) high, the top floors are home to observation deck and a revolving restaurant/iStock
Mount Damāvand is the highest peak in Iran and the Middle East. This potentially active volcano is located in the Alborz range, near the southern coast of the Caspian Sea, about 60km north-east of Tehran/iStock
Meymand, an ancient village in Kerman Province, is thought to date back 12,000 years ago. More than 600 people still live in around 350 hand-dug rock houses/iStock
Kandovan is a village in East Azerbaijan Province containing cliff dwellings excavated inside volcanic rocks similar to those in the Turkish region of Cappadocia. These rock houses are still occupied today – at the 2006 census, the village had a population of around 600/iStock
Yazd, a city of around a million people and the driest city in Iran, is architecturally unique and an important pilgrimage destination for Zoroastrians/iStock
The Amir Chakhmaq Complex is the largest structure in Iran. It is illuminated with orange light in the evenings and provides wonderful views over the city of Yazd/iStock
The city of Bam in Kerman Province surrounds an ancient citadel dating back around 2,000 years, to the Parthian Empire (248 BC–224 AD)/iStock
Qom, a city of around a million people about 125km south-west of Tehran, is considered holy by Shia Islam and is a popular pilgrimage destination/iStock
The Zagros Mountains, regarded as sacred by the Kurds, run along Iran’s western border. The highest point on the range is Zard Kuh, at 4548m (14,921 ft)/iStock
Anzali Lagoon in the Caspian Sea in the northern Iranian province of Gilan is a good place for birdwatching, despite increasing pollution thanks to being used for many years as waste dumping site/iStock
The port city of Bandar Abbas is capital of Hormozgān Province on the southern coast of Iran, on the Persian Gulf. Thousands of tourists visit the city and the nearby islands, including Qeshm and Hormuz/iStock
The Bazaar of Tabriz, another Unesco World Heritage Site, is thought to be the largest covered bazaar in the world. Situated on the ancient Silk Road, the bazaar has separate sections for jewellery, carpets, leather goods, etc/iStock
The Golden Eagle Danube Express is a luxury train that takes two weeks to wind through the 7,000km journey from Budapest to Iran, via the Balkans, the Bosphorus and eastern TurkeyBernadett Szabo/Reuters
Visit Iran – 79 reasons and places that will make Iran your next travel destination
João Leitão: Iran is an amazing country. Do you have any doubts about it? I know that the general opinion in the West is that Iran is a dangerous country.
The NEWS in Europe and the US tell us about a different Iran. They describe a place full of violence that makes us believe the country is populated with mad, unfriendly and ferocious people.
Well, we got that wrong…
Why?
First: Iran is one of the safest places I’ve ever been to. Crime is much lower than in most European countries and USA.
Second: Iranian people are among the friendliest and most hospitable in the World;
Third: Iran is quite developed, clean, and its population are well educated and have cultural / political awareness.
I’ve been twice to Iran. The last time was back in 2012. I went along with my girlfriend and we left Iran with the desire of coming back soon. And we will.
I’m sure that your opinion about Iran will change after you check out these 79 reasons and places that will make Iran your next travel destination.
1- Arg-e Rayen Citadel in Rayen – Visit Iran
1,000 years old Arg Rayen Citadel in Rayen – Places to Visit in Iran
2- Ali Qapu Palace in Isfahan
Ali Qapu Palace in Isfahan built in the 16th century. The interior decoration of this palace is incredible – Visit Iran
3- Golestan Palace in Tehran – Visit Iran
Golestan Palace in Tehran built in the 16th century – UNESCO Sites in Iran
4- Naqsh-e Khostam
Naqsh-e Khostam ancient necropolis from 1000 BC – Sightseeing in Iran
5- Alis Non-Alcoholic Malt Beverage
Alis Malt Beverage – What to drink in Iran
6- Amir Chakmak Mosque Complex in Yazd
Amir Chakmak Mosque in Yazd from the 16th century – Monuments and Sightseeing in Iran
7- Architecture in Tehran – Visit Iran
Architecture in Tehran – Visit Iran
8- Arg-e Bam Citadel in Bam
Bam Citadel, was the largest adobe building in the world – UNESCO Sites in Iran
9- Ateshkadeh Zaroastrian Fire Temple in Yazd
Zoroastrian Religion Ateshkadeh Fire Temple in Yazd – Religion in Iran
10- Bastani Traditional Restaurant in Isfahan
Bastani Traditional Restaurant in Isfahan – Where to eat in Iran
Traditional Iranian Puppet Show – What to do in Iran
Video of Traditional Iranian Puppet Show in Golestan Palace, Tehran:
72- Iranian Religiousness and Spirituality
Religiousness and Spirituality – Religion in Iran
73- Vakil Mosque in Shiraz
Vakil Mosque in Shiraz – Visit Iran
74- Iranian Street Wall Art
Wall Art – What to see in Iran
75- Water Museum in Yazd
Water Museum in Yazd – What to do in Iran
76- Old City in Yazd
Yazd Old City – Where to go in Iran
77- Zaid Mosque in Tehran
Zaid Mosque in Tehran – Religion in Iran
78- Ziai Ye School in Yazd
Ziai Ye School in Yazd, also known as Alexander’s Prision – Monuments and Sightseeing in Iran
79- City Center in Shiraz
City Center in Shiraz – What to visit in Iran
Some ideas about Iran to be taken in consideration:
Everything Western TV says about Iran is mostly propaganda and do not correspond to the real Iran.
People are more friendly than you think.
The country is more developed than you think.
Iran is relatively cheap.
Iran will be one of the safest countries you’ve ever been to. Crime is almost non-existent.
Women travelers have to cover their hair while in Iran.
All countries in the world can get an easy 15 day Iranian Visa on arrival at any international airport. However, this rule does not apply to nationals of the following countries: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Canada, Colombia, India, Iraq, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Somalia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, United Kingdom, United States and Uzbekistan. Visa exemption countries are: Azerbaijan, Bolivia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Syria, Turkey and Venezuela. Entry is banned to Israeli nationals.
Also that you should know about Iran,
Iranian sites inscribed on the World Heritage UNESCO list:
Armenian Monastic Ensembles of Iran, Bam and its Cultural Landscape, Bisotun, Golestan Palace, Gonbad-e Qābus, Masjed-e Jāmé of Isfahan, Meidan Emam, Esfahan, Pasargadae, Persepolis, Sheikh Safi al-din Khānegāh and Shrine Ensemble in Ardabil, Shushtar Historical Hydraulic System, Soltaniyeh, Tabriz Historic Bazaar Complex, Takht-e Soleyman, Tchogha Zanbil and The Persian Garden.
Imam Mosque in Isfahan built in 1611 – UNESCO Sites in Iran
Iranian sites submitted on the Tentative List of UNESCO:
Alisadr Cave, Arasbaran Protected Area, Bastam and Kharghan, Bazaar of Qaisariye in Laar, Cultural Landscape of Alamout, Damavand, Firuzabad Ensemble, Ghaznavi- Seljukian Axis in Khorasan, Hamoun Lake, Harra Protected Area, Hegmataneh, Historic ensemble of Qasr-e Shirin, Historic Monument of Kangavar, Historical Ensemble of Qasr-e Shirin, Hyrcanian Forest Caspian Forest, Jame’ Congregational Mosque of Esfahan, Jiroft, Kaboud Mosque, Kerman Historical-Cultural Structure, Khabr National Park and Ruchun Wildlife Refuge, Khorramabad Valley, Kuh-e Khuaja, Lut Desert the vicinity of Shahdad, Nasqsh-e Rostam and Naqsh-e Rajab, Persepolis and other relevant, Qanats of Gonabad, Qeshm Island, Sabalan, Shahr-e Sukhteh, Shush, Silk Route also as Silk Road, Susa, Tape Sialk, Taq-e Bostan, The Collection of Historical Bridges, The Complex of Handmade Settlements in Iran Maymand Village, The Complex of Izadkhast, The Cultural Landscape of Uramanat, The Cultural-Natural Landscape of Ramsar, The Ensemble of Historical Sassanian Cities in Fars Province Bishabpur Firouzabad Sarvestan, The Historical City of Masouleh, The Historical City of Maybod, The Historical Port of Siraf, The Historical Structure of Yazd, The Historical Texture of Damghan, The Historical Village of Abyaneh, The Historical–Cultural Axis of Fin Sialk Kashan, The Natural-Historical Landscape of Izeh, The Zandiyeh Ensemble of Fars Province, Touran Biosphere Reserve, Tous Cultural Landscape and Zozan.
October 24, 2014 by Nellie Huang– If you’re looking for a country that surprises, then Iran is the place for you. Traveling Iran can be an eye-opening experience, considering how closed and misunderstood this Islamic Republic is. It is a rewarding place to visit especially for curious travelers who want to learn the basis of the country, who its people are, and what their culture stand for — beyond political issues and news headlines.
In all honesty, I went to Iran with no idea what to expect; but Iran still surprised me on so many levels. Unknown to many, it’s a very urban and populated country, with over 75 million people occupying a country that ranks 17th biggest in the world. It’s the biggest country in Central Asia and also the most populated. Almost two-thirds of Iranians live in cities and many of its cities bursting at their seams with over five million people. Heavy traffic is a severe problem in the country,with the government increasing oil prices and building underground metro systems to help control the problems.
Cities like Tehran, Tabriz and Shiraz exude the modern and prosperous 21st-century vibes you’ll find in developed Middle Eastern cities, constantly buzzing with endless traffic, weaving through rows of markets, shops and tall buildings. There are people everywhere, literally in every street corner and square. Urban dwellers rush from one place to another, spotting heavy make-up and funky haircut. You’ll be surprised to find women pushing the limits by wearing hijab (headscarf) halfway back on their head and tight, colorful leggings or skinny jeans. Oh and even more over-the-top is how popular nose jobs are in Iran. It’s common to see women spotting bandages on their noses, the result of plastic surgery that is getting more and more popular by the day.
And of course, the warmth and hospitality of the people was the biggest surprise of all. “Welcome!” was the word I heard most in Iran, I lost count of the number of times when Iranians warmly welcomed me into their country. Perhaps because of the hospitable nature of the Central Asians or the fact that Iranians don’t receive many visitors in the country, they are undoubtedly the friendliest people I’ve ever met on my travels. Locals came up to me ever so often, wanting to know where I’m from, what I was doing in Iran, and how I liked their country. A few invited me to sit down with them for tea, while others ditched their plans and helped me get to where I was going. The people of Iran moved me with their genuine generosity and kindness — and it’s people like that who made my trip to Iran truly memorable.
