Tehran, Ankara eye deeper tourism, cultural ties
Iran and Turkey pledged to boost tourism and cultural cooperation on the sidelines of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) tourism summit in Erzurum, Turkish officials said on Friday.
Anoushirvan Mohseni Bandpey, Iran’s Deputy Minister of Tourism, called for “practical steps” to expand tourist exchanges and showcase attractions in both countries.
He also invited the Mayor of Erzurum to attend an upcoming global urban tourism summit in Iran, expressing hope that fresh talks would “lead to stronger ties.”
The meeting, hosted by the Governor and Mayor of Erzurum, underlined the push for deeper collaboration. Both sides agreed to draw up plans to ease travel and boost joint cultural and economic projects “in the near future.”
The push comes against the backdrop of lopsided travel flows between the two neighbors. Last year, more than 3.5 million Iranians visited Turkey, while only around 580,000 Turks traveled to Iran, said Reza Salehi Amiri, Iran’s Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts.
“This meaningful gap needs a rethink,” Salehi Amiri said. He stressed the importance of achieving “strategic balance” in tourism under a broader cultural diplomacy drive.
Iran and Turkey share deep cultural roots, a factor that officials believe could help pave the way for stronger cooperation in heritage preservation, handicrafts, and joint cultural programming.
Salehi Amiri announced plans to hold two major cultural events — one in Tehran and one in a Turkish city — later this year, which has been dubbed the “Year of Shared Culture” by both countries.
“Every tourist becomes a cultural ambassador,” he said, underlining the role of tourism in promoting Iran’s image abroad.
As a founding member of ECO and the host of its permanent secretariat in Tehran, Iran sees itself as a key player in revitalizing the regional bloc.
Salehi Amiri said Iran would press for stronger bilateral and multilateral ties at the summit, aiming to “activate shared tourism capacities” among ECO members.
Efforts are underway to secure an agreement that would have ECO countries officially recognize each other as “primary tourist destinations” in national programs. In a region marked by political strains, officials see tourism and culture as a springboard for greater economic, social, and cultural convergence.