Iran among world’s top 20 tourist destinations
Iran was named one of the world’s top 20 tourist destinations, according to the latest figures from the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism), Iranian Deputy Tourism Minister Anoushirvan Mohseni Bandpey said July 16 in Tehran.
Speaking at a meeting of the Visit Iran international website policy council on July 14, Bandpey cited a UN report highlighting Iran’s global ranking in the months leading up to the 12-day war earlier this year, IRNA reported.
He described the country’s performance in the final quarter of the Iranian calendar year, December 2024 through March 2025, as “the region’s best,” calling it a sign of policy maturity, industry resilience, and a “new window into public diplomacy.”
Iran’s placement reflects a combination of factors, including improved infrastructure, strategic private-public collaboration, and a more accurate global narrative about the country, Bandpey said.
The national tourism portal Visit Iran, backed by the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts, has played a central role in promoting Iran as a stable and attractive destination. Officials say this momentum must now be sustained through intensified international marketing.
“This is not just about numbers,” Bandpey told the gathering of senior government officials, tourism entrepreneurs, and media representatives. “It’s about smart policymaking and showing the real face of Iran to the world.”
He called for the platform to evolve beyond a basic information hub into a powerful tool for destination branding, perception management, and public diplomacy.
Planned upgrades to Visit Iran include redesigned content based on tourist behavior analysis, interactive smart travel guides, multilingual and multimedia storytelling by local creators, and partnerships with global marketing experts.
Bandpey emphasized the importance of combining state and private sector efforts to transform the website into a “global tourism brand.”
With hopes for a rebound from recent geopolitical shocks, officials see this recognition as both a milestone and a motivator. “Regaining our global tourism standing is no longer a distant dream,” said Bandpey. “It’s within reach, if we continue to tell our story strategically.”