Turkish consul highlights tourism potential of West Azarbaijan
Regional tourism attractions in West Azarbaijan Province continue to draw significant attention from Turkish travelers, with cities such as Maku and Khoy, Lake Urmia, and several UNESCO-listed sites ranking among the most visited destinations, Turkey’s Consul General in Urmia said.
Muslim Aygun noted that Turkey itself is home to more than 20 World Heritage sites and stressed that, given the substantial tourism capacities on both sides, expanding cooperation with Iran holds particular importance, according to chtn.ir.
Addressing cross-border travel trends, Aygun pointed to the steady flow of Iranian tourists to Turkey through the Bazargan, Sero, and Razi border crossings in West Azarbaijan Province. He said the Razi crossing accounts for the highest volume of tourist traffic, prompting ongoing efforts to expand and reinforce road infrastructure at the site.
He also referred to the reconstruction project at the Bazargan border crossing, explaining that road infrastructure development there has been underway for the past five years and is expected to come into operation in the near future. Aygun expressed hope that similar infrastructure projects at the Sero border crossing would advance more rapidly.
Stressing the need to remove existing barriers to tourism cooperation between the two countries, the Turkish consul general said the head of tourism agencies in Turkey’s Van Province had raised concerns in a letter over prolonged road infrastructure projects on the Iranian side. He added that such delays have negatively affected traveler satisfaction.
Aygun further highlighted existing direct flights from Urmia to Isfahan, Shiraz, Tabriz, Mashhad, and Istanbul, calling for the launch of a direct air route between Urmia and Ankara. He emphasized that increasing the number of air connections should be prioritized to support tourism growth.
Turning to cultural cooperation, he also underscored the importance of handicrafts in West Azarbaijan Province, noting that Turkey likewise produces high-quality handicraft products. He said organizing joint handicrafts exhibitions between the border provinces of Iran and Turkey could play an effective role in strengthening cultural and economic relations.