Iran to channel Nowruz travel beyond six provinces as 46% of trips cluster in key hubs
More than 46 percent of Iran’s domestic trips are concentrated in six provinces, Mostafa Fatemi, Director General for Domestic Tourism Development at the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts, said, announcing the designation of 114 “complementary cities” to ease congestion during the Nowruz holidays.
Fatemi said the bulk of travel during previous Nowruz (March–April 2025) flowed to established hubs including Mashhad, Shiraz, Tehran, Isfahan and coastal centers in Hormozgan and Mazandaran provinces, placing acute pressure on transport networks, accommodation and urban services, IRNA reported.
To rebalance demand for the upcoming Nowruz break, which runs from late March to April 4, 2026, authorities have mapped 114 alternative destinations nationwide and begun promoting them through provincial tourism offices and digital booking platforms.
In the east, the plan highlights Rafsanjan, Jiroft, Bam and Sirjan in Kerman PROVINCE; Konarak, Zarabad, Nikshahr, Hamun, Zabol and Zahak in Sistan and Baluchestan; Ardakan, Mehriz, Bafq and Abarkuh in Yazd; Ferdows, Birjand and Tabas in South Khorasan; Ardestan, Nain and Varzaneh in eastern Isfahan; Shahrud and Mahdishahr in Semnan; Samalqan and Shirvan in North Khorasan; and Quchan, Sabzevar, Neyshabur, Torbat-e Heydarieh, Gonabad, Khaf and Torbat-e Jam in Razavi Khorasan.
Thirteen further cities have been earmarked in Fars and Hormozgan provinces to divert traffic from Shiraz and the Persian Gulf islands. In Fars, Lar, Darab, Estahban, Neyriz, Fasa, Jahrom, Kazeroon and Eqlid are being marketed as substitutes. In Hormozgan, Minab, Sirik, Bastak, Parsian and Bandar Khamir have been added to official travel guides.
Fatemi said a national travel facilitation headquarters has convened six coordination meetings with transport, police and local authorities to manage flows, curb road accidents and standardize services during the peak period.
Search data show a recent surge in online queries for tours, accommodation and tickets ahead of the holiday, he added.
Discounted packages are generally reserved for off-peak periods and coordinated with public-sector bodies for teachers and retirees, as Nowruz capacity in major destinations is typically fully booked well in advance.