TEHRAN - Tabriz, a city celebrated for its rich cooking heritage, is set to spotlight ‘culinary tourism’ as a major theme in this year's array of tourism events.

In a recent meeting focused on registering events and updating the tourism calendar of Tabriz, held on Monday, the provincial tourism chief disclosed the special attention being given to culinary tourism this year.

Pointing to the rich culinary diversity of Tabriz, Ramin Asbaqi underscored that the city is renowned for its traditional foods and sweets deeply rooted in history and culture.

Asbaqi revealed that out of the 34 tourism events recorded in the national calendar for East Azarbaijan province, 13 are specific to Tabriz.

This figure reflects the city's considerable capacities in arts, history, culture, handicrafts and culinary sectors, the tourism chief noted.

He also stressed the importance of collaboration among various local organizations in arranging these events.

“The aim is to enhance the visibility and documentation of these events,” Asbaqi brought to light, “ensuring they are comprehensively registered in the national tourism calendar.”

In his concluding remarks, the official called for increased efforts from different departments to support these initiatives, emphasizing the importance of regional and national recognition of Tabriz's festivals and events to attract more visitors and enrich the local tourism experience.

Citing an example of Tabriz most famous culinary delights, Koofteh Tabrizi, also known as Tabriz meatball, consists of a large meatball including rice, yellow split peas, herbs and other ingredients, and its juice which is served in a separate dish with shredded traditional bread before the main course.

East Azarbaijan boosts tourism with infrastructure plan

Ahmad Hamzehzadeh, the provincial director-general of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts, announced plans for significant tourism infrastructure development aimed at boosting tourist arrivals by 25% provincewide.

Speaking on Monday, Hamzehzadeh emphasized the need for enhanced productivity across all sectors, particularly in light of the 70% occupancy rate of official accommodations during the Nowruz holidays period.

The director-general outlined a strategic plan for the upcoming year, which includes the addition of 1,000 new beds in hotels and lodgings to accommodate an anticipated increase in visitors.

The goal is to prepare for approximately 4.3 million tourists next year, up from 3.5 million reported throughout the last year.

Hamzehzadeh also pinpointed the necessity of issuing approvals and licenses for tourism facilities while adhering to relevant regulations and standards.

“This regulatory compliance will pave the way for the construction of new hotels, guest houses, and eco-tourism accommodations,” the official noted in his concluding remarks, “significantly enhancing the province's capacity to welcome both domestic and international tourists.”