June 2020
The GuardianIran’s beautiful palaces and holy sites – in pictures
The Shrine of Fatima Masumeh in Qom is considered by Shia Muslims to be the second most sacred city in Iran after Mashhad. Photograph: Christopher Wilton-Steer
Iran Unveils Its First Capsule Hotel
The Iranian tourism department has unveiled a first capsulThe Iranian tourism department has unveiled a first capsule hotel in the country as authorities seek to expand tourism amenities for budget-conscious travelers.e hotel in the country as authorities seek to expand tourism amenities for budget-conscious travelers. A report by the ministry’s news website CHTN.ir said that the government plans to set up 200 beds in capsule hotels in the top traveler destination city of Mashhad as well as in Tehran, Isfahan, Shiraz and Tabriz.
Reopening travel to Iran set for mid-summer – government official
TEHRAN – Iran’s tourism ministry has forecast that the country will start hosting foreign travelers as of mid-summer with the priority given to travelers from the neighboring countries.
May 2020
Tehran TimesEasing lockdown, Iran reopens UNESCO-registered Persepolis, other tourist destinations
TEHRAN – Iran has recently reopened the UNESCO-registered Persepolis, which was once the ceremonial capital of the mighty Achaemenid Empire, as well as many other tourist destinations to sightseers and history buffs, marking another phase in the easing of one of the world’s restrictions over the coronavirus outbreak.
Iran tourism reels from coronavirus impact
The coronavirus crisis has dealt a blow to the struggling tourism industry in Iran. Since the US canceled the international nuclear treaty and imposed new sanctions, there have been fewer international tourists.
https://www.dw.com/en/iran-tourism-reels-from-coronavirus-impact/av-53355571
April 2020
Tehran TimesIranian windmills closer to UNESCO status
Iran is closer to registering the ancient windmills in Razavi Khorasan province on the UNESCO World Heritage list as the country has recently completed some of the required documentation.
https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/447347/Iranian-windmills-one-step-closer-to-UNESCO-status
Corona notwithstanding, German Doctor Visits Ancient Persian Route on Horseback
Orlika’s trip to Iran amid the global concerns about the coronavirus pandemic has even surprised her host.
https://ifpnews.com/german-doctor-visits-iran-to-travel-ancient-route-on-horseback
Post-coronavirus: Iran formulating action plan to return tourism to normal
Iran’s tourism has announced it is developing an action plan to get the country’s travel back on track after the threat of novel coronavirus is over. Like many other countries, Iran’s travel industry has suffered huge losses in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
COVID-19: The last nail in the coffin of Iran’s tourism industry?
Now, that Iran’s government has taken actions to temporarily bring the country’s domestic tourism industry to a halt, there are concerns about when or whether this sector can recover. Theoretically, a government bailout could keep the industry alive, but the government is, apparently, not planning on giving the tourism sector a boost because they are not in a fiscal position to save such industries. Consequently, many companies will go into the red assuming they do not completely collapse. The most optimistic assessment would conclude that, because of Iran’s natural beauty, diverse archeological sites, rich culture rooted in ancient history, and the Iranian people’s reputation as hospitable hosts, the crisis in the country’s tourism sector will be temporary.
Behind the Scenes of the VICE Guide to Iran
Back in November 2019, a documentary crew of four, headed by VICE founder Suroosh Alvi, went to Iran. We were lucky enough to have no particular brief, so we took the opportunity to travel the length of the country at what we thought was a time of upheaval but what turned out to be the most peaceful that country has been ever since.
https://www.vice.com/en_au/article/epgedj/behind-the-scenes-of-the-vice-guide-to-iran
February 2020
Independent (UK)Iran and Uzbekistan, World’s 3rd and 4th fastest growing tourist destinations in 2019
Top of the pack was Myanmar, which saw a 40.2 per cent per cent increase in visitors, followed by Puerto Rico (31.2 per cent) and Iran (27.9 per cent), although Iran is likely to suffer a drop in 2020 given the current political climate.
January 2020
Nikkei Asian ReviewHotels empty as tourists shun Iran over geopolitical tensions
Iran’s tourism industry hit by protests, plane shootdown and threat of war with US. All U.S. and Canadian travelers canceled trips to Iran after the downing of the jet, Hormatollah Rafiei, head of the Association of Air Transport and Tourist Agencies of Iran, was quoted as saying by Iran’s Labour News Agency. He added that 80% of bookings from Australia and 60% of those from Europe and Asia had been called off.
What You Should Know About Travel in Iran—and the Rest of the Middle East—Right Now
As tensions escalate after the assassination of Iran’s top general, we turned to travel experts for advice on visiting the Middle East right now. In short, don’t cancel anything just yet.
https://www.afar.com/magazine/travel-in-iran-what-americans-need-to-know-in-2020
What treasures might be lost in Iran if war happens?
I can tell you what I’ve been thinking about: two strange, wonderful weeks in 1998, when I got to explore that country, camera in hand, during a brief upswing in Iranian-American relations.
Along with countless lives, the global treasures I saw then are what’s at stake now.
https://www.latimes.com/travel/story/2020-01-10/iran-treasures-tourist-1998
December 2019
PayvandTribal tourism gives a chance to discover another face of Iran
For both domestic and foreign travelers, tribal tourism is all about opening eyes to new places, traditions, cuisines, beliefs, and ways of life. Also called ethno-tourism, ethnic tourism or tribe tourism, it lays the ground for you to feel indigenous people by living with a nomad or rural family or enjoying an independent stay. However, as the name implies, it’s a trip for recreational purposes rather than being an expedition for anthropological research!