TEHRAN—East Azarbaijan’s tourism industry boasts unique economic potential and generates sustainable employment. Foreign tourists boosted the province’s economy, and their visits and stays helped generate $30 million in revenue for the province in the first half of the current Iranian fiscal year (March-September 2025).
Ahmad Hamzezadeh, Director of the Department of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts of East Azarbaijan, told IRNA that despite the special events and conditions, the unique capabilities created in various fields such as health tourism, sports, culture and history, nature tourism, geotourism and education attracted more than 30,000 foreign tourists in the first six months of this year.
Considering the World Tourism Organization’s announcement that the minimum spend per tourist to Iran is $1,000, this means $30 million in foreign exchange has entered the state, he added.
Hamzezadeh announced that more than 1,350 licensed units are operating in the province with more than 30,000 employees, which serve as an infrastructure to attract domestic and foreign tourists to the province.
He pointed out that employment in the industry is very high, with the smallest tourism sectors, such as small restaurants, employing more than 15 people and larger sectors employing more than 300 people.
One of the hidden and visible strengths of East Azarbaijan tourism is the presence of international students in the province. One of the important factors and indicators of world tourism is the length of stay of tourists, which better indicates the income and economic benefits of tourists.
Frequent tourist visits further enhance this advantage. In this situation, foreign university students have such advantages. Of course, this advantage must be respected, as students travel regularly and continuously and spend time in their city of residence, at least until the end of their studies. Therefore, this enormous capacity must be harnessed for cultural and economic development.
Alireza Bayramzadeh, Deputy Director of the Department of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts of East Azarbaijan, said, “According to the research and planning carried out in the form of a specialized desk for foreign tourism, the amount of expenditure by foreign tourists is the highest, and a specialized desk has been set up for these countries, and follow-up on related matters is carried out in cooperation with relevant institutions, including tourism organizations and tourism associations.” chamber of commerce. The specialized desks mentioned include Türkiye, Iraq, Republic of Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Russia, Eurasia and China. ”
He said the cultural affinity of these countries due to their proximity to the state, high degree of economic interaction between various manufacturers and factories, and two-way trade also contributes to the highest foreign exchange earnings in the tourism sector.
Bayramzadeh added: “This is the best and cheapest way to avoid sanctions on the one hand, solve the unemployment problem on the other, and fundamentally confront the enemy’s Iranophobic plans.”
“On the other hand, we should also be proud of the scientific capabilities of East Azarbaijan province, which has the ability to attract foreign students, despite its main competitors such as Turkey, which has the capacity to accept young people from Iran, Iraq and Azerbaijan. This is a kind of revival of the rich history of this province, which, according to Rabueh Rashidi, is one of the greatest scientists.” At the time, the center hosted scientists from different parts of the world, from China to India to Europe. ”
Meanwhile, Tabriz University President Mohammad Taghi Alami pointed out that East Azarbaijan is one of the leading provinces in accepting foreign students, and said that currently 8,300 international students are studying at universities in the province, of which 4,500 are studying in Tabriz City and 3,500 at Tabriz University.
He pointed out that of the 5,600 foreign students who applied for education this year, only 15% were accepted, indicating a scientific and logical process in admissions.
Alami also said that the presence of international students has an economic effect, adding that there are more than 4,500 international students in Tabriz, who bring in about $60 million in revenue per semester, which contributes to the city’s economic prosperity.
East Azarbaijan has infrastructure for historical and natural tourism and a four-season climate. It has unique historical monuments that house some world-class monuments, and several others are under consideration for possible inscription on UNESCO’s World Heritage List.
East Azarbaijan is home to more than 4,000 historical and ancient monuments, 2,075 of which are inscribed on the National Heritage List, due to its proximity to borders and the gateways to Europe and Eurasia, as well as benefiting from air, rail and land transportation infrastructure.
The importance of tourism and historical monuments in East Azarbaijan has increased in recent years due to the number of UNESCO-listed monuments, which has now increased to six, including the Historic Bazaar Complex in Tabriz, which is the largest traditional covered bazaar in the world, the Monastery of St. Stepanos in Jolfa, the Aras Global Geopark, the Jamalabad Caravanserai in Miane, and the Khajeh Nazar. Caravanserai of Jolfa and Caravanserai of Goije Bel.
KD