TEHRAN – Iran marked World Tourism Day on Saturday, pledging financial support, new employment and greater private sector involvement to revive the country’s tourism industry, which has been struggling in recent months.
The ceremony was held at the Lare Hotel in Tehran, and National Tourism Week was also held.
At the event, Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts, Seiyedreza Salehi Amiri said the tourism sector is a top priority for the Iranian government.
“The (Iranian) president and government are putting tourism among the three major priorities of the country,” he said, adding that the new allocation includes 200 trillion rials (approximately $200 million) from the central bank, 40 trillion ($40 million) from the National Development Fund, and additional resources from the banking sector and state budgets.
Salehi-Amiri said the government is aiming to attract 15 million foreign tourists and create 100,000 new jobs each year under Iran’s 7th National Development Plan. He said there are currently 1.6 million people working in the industry.
The minister emphasized the role of the private sector. “We are facilitators and policy makers, and the private sector is the foundation of this industry,” he said. He added that 27 tourism-related responsibilities have already been delegated to the state authorities, giving more power to industry groups.
Seyyed Hamid Pourmohammadi is Vice President and Head of Planning and Budget Organizations, and has been called the government’s tourism “strategic priorities.”
He also emphasized the importance of accelerating tourist attractions, saying, “Tourists are the best airlines of civilization’s message to the Iranian world, and we must act with greater prudence and speed to host them.”
Referring to the government’s financial support for the sector, he said: “The tourism budget increased last year, and I am sure this trend will continue next year.”
Pourmohammadi concluded by supporting the development of tourism infrastructure and highlighting the preparation of the organization of planning and budgets to enhance the global promotion of Iranian culture, civilization and nature.
Deputy Tourism Minister Anuhavan Moseni Bandopi cited the 2025 theme of the UN Tourism Agency’s 2025 “Tourism and Sustainable Transformation.” He said Iran’s strategy lies on three pillars. Strengthen tourism governance through legal and financial tools, expand regional and international cooperation, and simplify the process by delegating more powers.
Malaysia’s Iranian ambassador, Kairi bin Omar, said Iran’s trips to Malaysia have increased by 30% in recent years. “All tourists are actually cultural ambassadors,” he said, adding that both countries saw opportunities in halal tourism, medical tourism and nature-based tourism.
Additionally, many industry representatives have raised structural and pricing challenges. Jamshid Hamzehzadeh, head of the Iranian Hotel Management Association, and Hormatollah Rafiei, head of the Travel Agency Association, both highlighted the sector’s vulnerability to the recent crisis and the need to diversify the market.
At the ceremony, 12 Iranian hotels awarded the country’s first “green labels” and recognized compliance with environmental standards and sustainable tourism practices. The winners included hotels in Tehran, Mashhad, Isfahan, Yazd, Kish, Babosar, Shaboxar, Novishar, Arak and Karman.
Several lawmakers from the Iranian parliament (Majlis), Tehran’s Saudi ambassador and a group of industrial activists also participated in the event.
Additionally, the event brought stakeholders to discuss strategies for sustainable tourism development focusing on resilience, inclusivity and environmental management. Key Session explores topics such as tourism, community-based tourism models, and digital transformation in climate-neutral travel solutions, and aligns with the theme of “tourism and sustainable transformation.”
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