TEHRAN – An Iranian-Turkmen festival, throwing the spotlight on top travel destinations, folk arts, local cuisines, traditions, and handicrafts of the two nations, opened today in Ashgabat.

A host of cultural officials, businesspeople, travel insiders, artists, and craftspeople, performance troupes attended the two-day event held at the exhibition hall of the State Academy of Arts of Turkmenistan.

According to organizers, promoting mutual tourism potential is the main goal of the festival.

The event staged an exposition of decorative and applied arts such as carpets and rugs, dishes inlaid with semi-precious stones, and backgammon made of ivory for which the Islamic Republic has been famous since ancient times.

Moreover, visitors were distributed with tourist brochures and booklets to learn more about the tourism opportunities of Iran and Turkmenistan.

Furthermore, representatives of travel companies from two neighboring countries took part in the forum as each travel company presented its stand and the services it provides.

At the end of the opening ceremony of the festival, folk groups performers for the visitors. All guests were invited to taste the national cuisine of the two countries.

Mutual cultural exchanges have gained growth following a meeting between the two countries' presidents last year, said Navid Rasuli, Iran’s Cultural Attaché to Turkmenistan.

“Many Iranian tourism companies are active in Turkmenistan, indicating the cooperative relations between the two countries. Furthermore, daily exchanges between the two borders around one thousand people,” Rasuli said.

Additionally, the Turkmen people are familiar with Iran, and similarities between the historical, religious, and cultural heritage of the two nations are prevalent, he said and added: “Both countries’ tourism companies will hold B2B meetings during this cultural event, and agreements are also in preparation and awaiting signature.”

He also noted that from early 2023, an international seminar will be held in Turkmenistan to showcase the country's tourism activities and to better introduce it to the world, following an order from Turkmenistan's president.

The official emphasized that while strict rules for visas and travel to Turkmenistan are necessary, efforts are being made to solve the tourism industry's problems and promote it. “Negotiations between the two countries are already underway in this regard.”

Organized by the Islamic Culture and Relations Organization (ICRO), the Embassy of Iran in Turkmenistan, and Iran's Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts, the festival features sections on medical tourism as well.

The Islamic Republic expects to reap a bonanza from its numerous tourist spots such as bazaars, museums, mosques, bridges, bathhouses, madrasas, mausoleums, churches, towers, and mansions, of which 27 are inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list

AFM