TEHRAN – An international conference on tourism in Iran’s Lut Desert will be held with a focus on investment and sustainable development, a provincial tourism official said on Wednesday.

Seyyed Ahmad Barabadi, director-general of the Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Department of South Khorasan province, said the event aims to turn the challenges of desert conditions into opportunities for attracting investors.

“The main goal of this conference is to create a platform to introduce the capacities of the Lut Desert to domestic and foreign investors,” Barabadi told a meeting of the conference’s policy-making council on Wednesday.

Barabadi described the Lut as one of the world’s largest and most unique deserts, highlighting its potential both as a natural ecosystem and as an economic and tourism opportunity. He said targeted investments in nature-based tourism, ecotourism, and related industries could help transform environmental threats into drivers of economic growth.

He added that sustainable tourism development in the desert would not only boost the local economy but also support the preservation of natural resources and cultural heritage in the region.

“The Lut Desert, with its remarkable landscapes and unique features, can become an international tourism destination if we concentrate investment and expertise in a focused way,” Barabadi said.

The UNESCO-listed Lut Desert, spanning parts of southeastern Iran, is known for its sweeping dunes, rugged terrain and striking geological formations, attracting scientists, adventurers, and photographers from around the world.

Lut holds the record for one of the hottest places on Earth, with recorded temperatures reaching a scorching 70.7 degrees Celsius. Beyond its barren appearance, the property is a haven for a surprising array of plant and animal life that has adapted uniquely to survive these harsh conditions.

Moreover, the scorching desert is one of the top areas in the world for finding meteorites, thanks to its unique parameters. In recent years, significant findings have been made with the efforts of national and international teams of researchers.

AM