TEHRAN – Meybod is preparing to host a major festival of Zilou, a traditional type of floor covering, which the Iranian oasis city is famous for.

World Crafts Council-Asia Pacific Region Director Ghada Hijavi and artisans from ten provinces have been invited to the festival, which pursues market-oriented goals, a tourism official said, ISNA reported.

In February, Meybod celebrated becoming a world city for Zilou, a status given by the WCC-APR after its experts probed the in-house expertise that has been passed down generations to generations across central Iranian city.

The festival, that comprises a sales exhibition, will be held from June 13 to 17.

According to the Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization, Iran’s exports of handicrafts fetched over $190 million during the first nine months of the past Iranian calendar year (ended March 20), increasing 11 percent year on year.

AFM/MQ/MG