TEHRAN – Shiraz authorities, in close collaboration with some rehab centers, has organized some sightseeing tours of the ancient city.

Dedicated to the elderly and physically challenged people, the tours are aimed to mark Shiraz Week commemorated from May 5 to 11, CHTN reported on Saturday.

Social responsibility regarding familiarizing different groups of society with tourist destinations serves the main purpose of these tours, a local tourism official said.

“These tours will be held on occasions on the occasion of Shiraz Week.”

“Participants visit the attractions and historical and cultural monuments of Shiraz and get acquainted with the historical assets of the ancient city with the presence of tourist guides,” the official explained.

Introduced by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the creation of the international “Accessible Tourism Destination” aims to make sure that a destination can be enjoyed by any tourist including physically impaired people.

The UNWTO Recommendations on Accessible Tourism for All are meant to be used as a general, basic mainstreaming framework for ensuring that people with disabilities have access to the physical environment, the transportation system, information, and communications channels, as well as to a wide range of public facilities and services.

As mentioned by the World Tourism Organization, accessibility for all tourism facilities, products, and services should be a central part of any responsible and sustainable tourism policy. Accessibility is not only about human rights. It is a business opportunity for destinations and companies to embrace all visitors and enhance their revenues.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 15% of the world’s population (1 billion people) lives with some form of disability.

Celebrated as the heartland of Persian culture for over 2000 years, Shiraz has become synonymous with education, nightingales, poetry, and crafts skills passed down from generation to generation. It was one of the most important cities in the medieval Islamic world and was the Iranian capital during the Zand dynasty from 1751 to 1794.

Shiraz is home to some of the country’s most magnificent buildings and sights. Increasingly, it draws more and more foreign and domestic sightseers flocking to this provincial capital.

Eram Garden, Afif-Abad Garden, Tomb of Hafez, Tomb of Sa’di, Jameh Mosque of Atigh, and Persepolis are among the historical, cultural, and ancient sites of Shiraz that are of interest to domestic and foreign tourists. The ancient city is also home to some magnificent historical gardens such as Bagh-e Narenjestan and Eram Garden, which are top tourist destinations both for domestic and international sightseers.

ABU/AM