TEHRAN – Iran's domestic tourism sector has seen a significant surge in travel and stays across various provinces, notably in Sistan-Baluchestan, Bushehr, and Ilam, which are among lesser-known destinations.

“During the first eight months of 1402 (the current Iranian year started on March 21), there was a notable increase in domestic travel and overnight stays across the country compared to the previous year,” said Seyyed Mostafa Fatemi, who presides over the tourism ministry’s department for domestic tourism development.

“Sistan-Baluchestan witnessed a remarkable 29% growth, securing the top position in increased travel. Bushehr followed with a 22% rise, while Ilam experienced a 17% surge, making these three provinces the epicenters of heightened travel and overnight stays during the eight months,” ILNA quoted Fatemi as saying on Saturday. 

He pointed out that while provinces like Fars, Mazandaran, and Isfahan have long been significant travel destinations, there’s a newfound focus on exploring untapped potential and lesser-known attractions in other provinces.

Fatemi attributed the growth in travel to provinces like Sistan-Baluchestan, Bushehr, and even Tehran, to a paradigm shift in domestic travel trends.

Western regions of the country have also experienced an increase in travel, with more preference shown towards southern cities over northern ones, the official stated.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Fatemi stressed the significance of regulating tourist influx, especially in environmentally sensitive areas like the islands of Hormozgan province.

In conclusion, the official underlined that the surge in domestic travel has led to considerations for managing tourist capacity, prioritizing eco-friendly stays, and ensuring a balanced distribution of travel across regions to sustainably support the country's flourishing tourism industry.

The number of foreign arrivals in Iran reached 4.4 million during the first eight months of the current Iranian year (started on March 21), which shows 48.5 percent compared to that of last year.

Data compiled by the tourism ministry suggests that 1.8 million visitors from West Asia traveled to Iran in the first seven months of this year, showing a growth of about 31% compared to the same period last year. This growth surpassed that of Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia.

Some 258,000 visitors from Turkey arrived in the Islamic Republic in the first six months of this year, which shows a 36% growth compared to the same period last year. Moreover, countries within the ECO (Economic Cooperation Organization), including Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Afghanistan, also saw a 55% growth with 1.1 million visitors in the first six months of this year.

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