TEHRAN (Iran News) Seyyed Reza Salehi Amiri emphasized, during the 15th Strategic Council meeting of the ministry, the importance of “health tourism” as one of the main axes of the ministry’s development strategies. He said: “Iran’s success in the medical field can serve as a new platform to attract tourists from around the world.”

He added: “Last year, seven million two hundred thousand international tourists visited Iran, of whom 1.2 million utilized health tourism services. Iran, with its outstanding medical infrastructure, introduces unparalleled capacities in this sector to the world.”

Salehi Amiri highlighted the need to develop not only health tourism—aimed at promoting Iran’s historical and natural attractions to international tourists—but also to identify and showcase the country’s untouched potentials in eco-tourism, cultural, and historical sectors. These attractions, alongside UNESCO World Heritage Sites, can turn Iran into a unique and unrivaled destination globally.

The Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts stressed the necessity of revising the ministry’s macro policies to adapt to global conditions and transformations. He acknowledged that, as tourism is a major driver of the global economy, Iran, with its rich history and ancient civilization, must take focused and strategic steps to elevate its position in this industry. This effort requires not only synergy among domestic sectors but also ongoing international engagement.

He also emphasized the importance of expanding policies aimed at socializing the country’s cultural heritage: “Iranian cultural heritage must be recognized as a global identity. In this regard, public participation, along with the presence of elites and experts, plays a vital role. To achieve this, we need a deep review of our cultural and social approaches so that, alongside protecting historical artifacts, active community engagement with them is facilitated.”

He pointed to the need to complete restoration and preservation projects of historical buildings, stating: “Alongside efforts to attract tourists, we must not forget that protecting cultural heritage remains a priority. Restoration and reconstruction projects should be carried out carefully and in accordance with technical standards to preserve Iran’s authenticity and historical values alongside tourism development.”

Salehi Amiri expressed hope that with the synergy of all sectors and stakeholders, the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts can achieve its broad objectives and position Iran as a global model in sustainable tourism development and heritage preservation.”Tourism Market”

Referring to the presence of governors in the meeting, he underlined the importance of their participation in the ministry’s strategic council sessions to thoroughly assess local and regional capacities and coordinate policy implementation, programs, and future actions across provinces. He emphasized that each meeting should involve provincial officials, ensuring that the ministry’s goals are pursued comprehensively and tailored to the specific conditions of each region.

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Based on the report, the travel & tourism contribution to GDP in the Iranian capital has become more than doubled in the past ten years and is expected to increase by 1.5 times in the next ten years.

“Tehran accounts for nearly a third of Iran’s overall travel & tourism GDP and 20% of overall tourism employment.”

According to another WTTC report, visitor exports in Iran grew at an average rate of 19.9% during 2011-17 with the strongest growth witnessed during 2013 and 2014, when a newly elected government adopted a looser visa policy.

Home to hundreds of historical monuments and natural heritage including 22 UNESCO World Heritage sites, Iran has launched extensive plans to bolster its tourism sector. Under the 2025 Tourism Vision Plan, the country is expecting to increase the number of tourism arrivals from 4.8 million in 2014 to 20 million.

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