TEHRAN – As the Nowruz holidays [celebration of the Persian New Year] are officially over, Mazandaran’s tourism chief announced that the northern province has hosted more than 13 million travelers throughout the spring holidays.

Providing a comprehensive overview of the latest status of the most sought-after destination across Iran, Hossein Izadi pinpointed that from March 13 to April 1, 13,391,574 holidaymakers toured the province which is renowned for its scenic beauty.

Speaking at a meeting held on Tuesday, the official stated that authorities conducted 1,350 field visits and inspections of accommodation facilities across the province to ensure the comfort and safety of visitors.

Emphasizing the allure of Mazandaran's natural wonders as the province's main draw, Izadi revealed the breakdown of visits to historical, cultural, and tourist attractions: 370,218 visited historical sites, 123,135 visited recreational sites, 448,123 visited craft centers, 113,931 visited religious sites, 62,772 visited museums, and 2,088,684 visited natural attractions in Mazandaran.

It is also noteworthy that Ahmad Shirani, the head of the Traffic Information and Control Center, noted on Tuesday that most Nowruz travelers have returned to their hometowns. As per the latest statistics, 120,000 passenger cars are still present in Mazandaran province, and it is expected that these individuals will return home by the end of the week.

The picture-perfect province has long been a highly popular destination for domestic travelers. Its varied nature features plains, prairies, forests, and rainforests stretching from the sandy beaches of the Caspian Sea to the rugged and snowcapped Alborz sierra, including Mount Damavand, one of the highest peaks and volcanos in Asia. More than 800 registered historical and cultural sites, 338 km of shoreline, mineral springs in jungles and mountains, waterfalls, and caves are among the major tourist attractions in the province.

Goal of attracting two million foreign tourists per annum

Last September, Mazandaran’s governor general announced a development program to attract more foreign tourists, saying “We have set a goal to host two million foreign tourists per annum by the end of the current Iranian administration [of President Ebrahim Raisi].”

In terms of having diverse and numerous capacities in the historical, natural, and cultural fields, Mazandaran is the center of the presence of millions of travelers from within the country, but the fact that these capacities have remained unknown for potential foreign travelers, Seyyed Mahmoud Hosseinipour explained.