Tehran lures many tourists during holidays
EXCLUSIVE
Sadeq Dehqan
Staff writer
The Iranian capital Tehran is a top tourist destination for a large number of people from across the country during the holidays, an Iranian lawmaker said.
“Since Tehran is largely empty of its population during the holidays, many people think that it is not among important tourist destinations. This is while the capital city hosts a large number of tourists from all over the country during the holidays,” Somayeh Rafiei told Iran Daily in an exclusive interview.
“If you visit important tourist centers during the holidays in Tehran, you will see a large number of tourists who flock to the city to visit its tourist attractions.”
She also touched upon the significance of Tehran’s tourist attractions.
“Tehran is full of tourist attractions. The metropolis enjoys huge potentials in the tourism sector with respect to its cultural, historical and natural attractions. But its tourism capacities have been largely neglected,” the MP noted.
Rafiei said many of those who live in Tehran, or were born in the city, have not visited its tourist attractions.
“Hence, we can conclude that scant efforts have been made to introduce these attractions.”
She said precious monuments from different historical eras and important historical developments have turned Tehran into an attractive tourist destination.
The lawmaker said lack of knowledge of tourist attractions in Tehran pertains to the abundance of tourist sites across the country. She added that if other countries had such attractions, they would do their best to lure tourists.
She said various museums in Tehran such as the Treasury of National Jewels which displays precious and unique gemstones can draw tourists.
The Treasury of the National Jewels is a collection of the most expensive jewels of the world, collected over centuries. It is owned by the Central Bank of Iran.
The value of its objects is not limited to their economic value. They demonstrate creativity and taste of Iranian craftsmen and artists over different historical periods, and represent the artistic and cultural heritage of the country.
Rafiei also highlighted Tehran’s natural potentials to entice visitors.
“In terms of ecology, Tehran offers unique natural capacities and as a city with foothills, it has an attractive nature. The villages, waterfalls and lakes around Tehran, which are 10 to 15 kilometers from the city, are very beautiful but remain unknown among the people,” she pointed out.
The parliamentarian touched upon issues that adversely impact tourism in Tehran.
“As the country’s capital, Tehran is grappling with problems such as water shortage, air pollution and traffic, which have negatively affected tourism in the city. Officials should explore ways to tackle these problems in order to promote its tourism sector.”
The MP said historical sectors of Tehran are located in its center, calling for efforts to preserve them in the wake of urban development plans.
Rafiei added that precious monuments are scattered across Tehran, which are indicative of the antiquity and originality of the metropolis.