TEHRAN – Iran marked World Tourism Day on Saturday with officials pledging financial support, new jobs and greater private sector involvement to revive the country’s tourism industry, which has struggled in recent months.

The ceremony took place at Tehran’s Laleh Hotel and also opened the national tourism week.

Speaking at the event, Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Minister Seyyed Reza Salehi-Amiri said the tourism sector is a top priority for the Iranian government.

“The [Iranian] president and the government have placed tourism among the three main priorities of the country,” he said, adding that new allocations included 200 trillion rials (about $200 million) from the central bank, 40 trillion ($40 million) from the national development fund, and additional resources from the banking sector and provincial budgets.

Salehi-Amiri stated that the government aims to attract 15 million foreign tourists and create 100,000 new jobs annually under Iran’s Seventh National Development Plan. He said 1.6 million people currently work in the industry.

The minister underlined the role of the private sector. “We are facilitators and policymakers, and the foundation of this industry is the private sector,” he said. He added that 27 tourism-related responsibilities had already been delegated to provincial authorities and that more powers would soon be given to industry associations.

Seyyed Hamid Pourmohammadi, vice president and head of the Planning and Budget Organization, called tourism “a strategic priority” for the government.

He also stressed the importance of accelerating the attraction of tourists, adding: “Tourists are the best carriers of Iran’s civilizational message to the world, and we must act with greater prudence and speed to host them.”

Referring to the government’s financial support for this sector, he noted: “Last year, the tourism budget increased, and I am confident this trend will continue next year as well.”

Pourmohammadi concluded by emphasizing the readiness of the Planning and Budget Organization to cooperate in developing tourism infrastructure and strengthening global promotion of Iran’s culture, civilization, and nature.

Deputy Tourism Minister Anoushirvan Mohseni-Bandpey, for his part, cited the UN World Tourism Organization’s 2025 theme of “Tourism and Sustainable Transformation.” He said Iran’s strategy rested on three pillars: strengthening tourism governance through legal and financial tools, expanding regional and international cooperation, and simplifying processes by devolving more authority.

Malaysia’s ambassador to Iran, Khairi bin Omar, said Iranian travel to Malaysia had grown by 30% in recent years. “Every tourist is in fact a cultural ambassador,” he said, adding that the two countries saw opportunities in Halal tourism, medical tourism, and nature-based tourism.

In addition, a number of industry representatives raised structural and pricing challenges. Jamshid Hamzehzadeh, head of Iran’s hoteliers’ association, and Hormatollah Rafiei, head of the travel agencies’ association, both stressed the sector’s vulnerability to recent crises and the need to diversify markets.

The ceremony also saw 12 Iranian hotels awarded the country’s first “Green Label,” recognizing compliance with environmental standards and sustainable tourism practices. Awardees included hotels in Tehran, Mashhad, Isfahan, Yazd, Kish, Babolsar, Chaboksar, Nowshahr, Arak and Kerman.

Several MPs from the Iranian parliament (Majlis), the Saudi ambassador to Tehran, and a group of industry activists also attended the event.

Moreover, the event brought together stakeholders to discuss strategies for sustainable tourism development, focusing on resilience, inclusivity, and environmental stewardship. Key sessions explored topics such as digital transformation in tourism, community-based tourism models, and climate-neutral travel solutions, aligning with the theme “Tourism and Sustainable Transformation.”

AM