TEHRAN - Iran’s Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts, Seyyed Reza Salehi-Amiri, met with Nasser Al-Mutairi, Secretary-General of the Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD), on the sidelines of the 18th Tehran International Tourism and Related Industries Exhibition.

During the meeting, Salehi-Amiri announced plans to host a major tourism exhibition for ACD member states in Tehran, describing it as an opportunity to showcase the tourism potential of member countries, Mehr reported on Monday.

He also emphasized the need to reschedule the ACD summit, originally planned for Yazd last year.

The tourism minister then highlighted Iran’s extensive historical and cultural heritage, noting that the country has over one million historical sites, more than 40,000 nationally registered monuments, and 28 UNESCO World Heritage labels.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Salehi-Amiri underscored Iran’s rich civilization and cultural assets, asserting that the country’s untapped archaeological treasures hold greater value than the oil and mineral wealth of [many] other nations.

Discussing Iran’s tourism strategy, Salehi-Amiri identified the 13 countries within the [UNESCO-designated] Nowruz cultural sphere as the country’s top priority for tourism development, followed by the Persian Gulf littoral states. He also underlined a target of attracting 15 million foreign tourists, predicting that Iran’s tourist arrivals would exceed 7 million and approach 8 million by the end of the current Iranian calendar year (March 20).

Al-Mutairi, in turn, acknowledged Iran’s significant tourism potential and cultural appeal. He emphasized the importance of cooperation in this sector and noted the esteemed presence of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian at the exhibition’s opening ceremony as a sign of the event’s significance.

He further highlighted Iran’s attractiveness as a destination for Muslim travelers, particularly in religious cities like Mashhad, where international pilgrims frequently visit. Al-Mutairi then expressed confidence in Iran’s ability to become a key destination for Muslim families, given its cultural and religious offerings.

The Asia Cooperation Dialogue, established in 2002 in Cha-Am, Thailand, aims to enhance regional integration and cooperation among Asian governments and organizations.

AM