TEHRAN – Iran is aiming to expand tourism cooperation with Iraq across four sectors, a senior industrial official said.
Hormatra Rafiey, director of the Iranian Travel Agency Association, said the two agreed to the development of health, tourism, religion and science tourism. He made his remarks after a meeting with Iranian cultural attachés in Iraq.
According to the IRNA, Rafiei, who traveled to Baghdad to make a preliminary arrangement to host the Iran-Iraq Tourism Roadshow, highlighted the country’s private sector decisions in the tourism industry, as well as decisions to foster pilgrimage, pilgrimage, science and health tourism, at a meeting with Iran’s cultural attachment.
He explained that Iranian tour operators traveling to three cities of Baghdad, Basra and Karbala at Iranian and Iraq’s tourist roadshow event should focus their advertising and negotiations on four axes proposed and agreed by the associations of Iranian travel agents and Iraq’s provincial and private sectors.
Rafiey stressed that Iranian cultural attachment Hojatreslam Golamleza Abazari, in Iraq, was supporting this, considering that 50% of Iranian inbound tourism comes from Iraq and that tourism fairs between the two countries are being held for the first time since Iran’s Islamic Revolution supported events in the tourism industry.
Announced Iraq’s preparations to develop tourism ties with Iran in the fields of culture, tourism and health tourism, in addition to pilgrimage tourism, Rafiye said that around 3.5 million tourists travel to Iraq each year from Iraq, and that he is working to increase this number to 5 million arriving tourists by the end of this year.
Tourism between Iran and Iraq is deeply rooted in a religious pilgrimage or Zyarat that draws millions of visitors each year to sacred places. Iraq holds major Shia shrines in Karbala and Najaf, while Iran welcomes pilgrims to Mashhad, the main centre of Mashhad and Shia scholarships, home to Imam Reza (AS) shrines. Cities such as Shiraz, which have a rich Islamic heritage, also attract religious visitors.
Beyond pilgrimage, the two countries can share cultural, historical and linguistic connections for centuries and develop into a wider tourism exchange. The ancient cities of Iran, including UNESCO-registered Persepolis and Isfahan, showcasing Persian architecture and world heritage sites, while Iraq is home to the comprehensive waste of Babylonian and Mesopotamian civilizations. Sites like this appeal to travelers interested in history and archaeology.
Cultural tourism opportunities also extend to traditional music, crafts and cuisine. This reflects shared influences and mutual appreciation across the two countries. Furthermore, natural landscapes such as the Zagros Mountains, wetlands in southern Iraq and the diverse climate of Iran create ecotourism possibilities, from deserts to lush forests.
Therefore, strengthening tourism ties between Iran and Iraq could potentially deepen cross-border connections with people, whilst promoting historical exploration, cultural exchange and nature-based tourism.
KD