WANA (Jul 16) – Iran has climbed into the list of the world’s top 20 tourism destinations during the first quarter of 2025, according to Anoushirvan Mohseni-Bandpei, Deputy Minister of Tourism at the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts.

 

He made the announcement at a high-level meeting attended by senior government officials, private sector representatives, and media professionals at the Persian Gulf Hall of the Tourism Directorate.

 

Citing verified data released by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism), Mohseni-Bandpei said the statistics pertain to the Iranian calendar months of Dey, Bahman, and Esfand (December 2024 to March 2025). He noted that this period marked Iran’s best regional performance in attracting international tourists since before the onset of the recent 12-day conflict.

 

“Iran’s rise to this position reflects not only its inherent tourism potential but also the result of smart policymaking, strengthened public-private partnerships, expanded infrastructure, and a more accurate global narrative of the country’s true image,” he said.

 

Mohseni-Bandpei stressed the importance of sustaining and deepening Iran’s international marketing strategies, emphasizing the key role of the official tourism website, Visit Iran, in connecting with global travelers.

 

“This platform must evolve beyond a simple information portal to become a comprehensive hub for public diplomacy, destination marketing, perception management, and national tourism branding,” he stated.

 

He outlined upcoming developments for the Visit Iran website, including:

  • Redesigning its structure and content based on insights into target tourists’ preferences and behaviors
  • Developing an interactive smart travel guide
  • Leveraging social media to generate authentic, localized travel narratives
  • Establishing performance evaluation metrics
  • Creating multimedia content in collaboration with local experts, influencers, and international marketing professionals

 

Highlighting the collaborative presence of both public and private sector representatives on the site’s strategic council, the deputy minister described this cooperation as a unique opportunity to transform Visit Iran into a globally recognized brand in the tourism industry.

 

Concluding his remarks, Mohseni-Bandpei expressed optimism about the future of Iranian tourism. “With the recent crisis behind us, reclaiming Iran’s position on the global tourism map is not a distant dream, but an achievable goal—powered by national synergy and intelligent storytelling.”

Tourists expressing their ideas about travelling to Iran/Photo by Behnam Yousefi/Social media/ WANA (West Asia News Agency)