TEHRAN – A joint festival promoting tourism attractions of Iran and Turkmenistan is set to take place in Ashgabat.

Iranians will travel to Turkmenistan to showcase tourism, health, cultural products, and trade during the festival, Iran’s Cultural Attaché to Turkmenistan Navid Rasuli said on Saturday, Mehr reported. 

The event has been planned following a meeting between the two countries' presidents last year, which resulted in the development of cultural relations between the two countries, he explained. 

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 will run from October 31 to November 2 and will be held at the Museum of Visual Arts in Ashgabat.

The festival will include the participation of local artists, handicraft industries, and music groups from Iran, as well as active tourism companies from both countries, to showcase the tourism attractions of Iran and Turkmenistan based on their common threads, Rasuli added.

In addition to tourism, the festival will also feature sections on health and Iranian handicrafts, and local Iranian music groups will perform during the event, he noted.

Participating companies will have access to 600 square meters of free space to exhibit their products and services, and they will also benefit from visa facilities. So far, 11 Iranian tourism companies have registered to attend the festival.

He also mentioned that Turkmenistan has special policies and laws for traveling; however, it does not imply that Iranians cannot travel there, but they must follow the country's rules. 

“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.”

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. 

He 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.”

Iran’s Cultural Attaché's office has previously hosted several cultural weeks and festivals in Turkmenistan to introduce the country's capacities, he stated. 

Two previous festivals were held without the participation of the Turkmen side; however, this upcoming festival will be the first joint tourism festival between the two countries, he said. 

An exhibition of handicrafts will also be held on the sidelines of the festival, he concluded. 

SAB/