TEHRAN – Fatemeh Karimi, a tourism reporter with Mehr News Agency, was honored on Monday as an influential woman in Iran’s tourism sector at a ceremony in Tehran marking Tourism Week.

Tourism Minister Reza Salehi-Amiri presented the award to Karimi at the Women Pioneers in Tourism meeting, held at the Mellat Hall of the Saadabad Historical Complex.

Speaking at the event, Karimi said female reporters have played a significant role in highlighting Iran’s tourism potential and portraying the country as a safe destination for women. “Most reporters in cultural heritage, tourism and handicrafts are women. They have helped introduce society to tourism and Iran’s capabilities.”

Karimi added that many of these reporters are also travelers themselves and, through their observations and writing, “show Iran as a safe country to women tourists around the world.”

She had previously received similar recognition in 2017 on World Tourism Day in a ceremony attended by ambassadors, lawmakers, and tourism officials.

In December 2021, Karimi, was introduced as one of four pioneering women in Iran’s tourism sector in a book published by Australia’s University of Queensland focusing on women’s tourism activities in the country. The book states: “In recent years, Iranian women have played various roles in the development of tourism, ranging from working as tour guides to becoming entrepreneurs in rural areas.

Women in Iran run and manage small or medium-sized businesses, including leading domestic and international tour groups, creating and selling handicrafts, providing tourism training and education, and managing different types of accommodation and related services in various cities.

In addition, the number of active Iranian women is increasing, and they are increasingly participating in projects related to sustainability and tourism, empowering women through tourism, and protecting the environment.

AM