Mashhad enters race for OIC City of Tourism for 2030
Iran has nominated the northeastern pilgrimage metropolis of Mashhad as its candidate for the Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s 2030 “City of Tourism” title, Deputy Tourism Minister Anoushirvan Mohseni-Bandpey said, positioning the holy city to expand its international cultural footprint across the Muslim world.
The nomination, approved after technical assessments by the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts, places Mashhad among prospective contenders expected to compete for one of the Islamic world’s highest-profile tourism distinctions, according to IRNA.
The final selection process will move forward at an expert-level review session in Tashkent in May before tourism ministers from OIC member states convene in Doha later this year to announce the winning city.
Home to the shrine of Imam Reza (PBUH), Mashhad stands as one of the region’s largest religious tourism hubs, drawing millions of pilgrims and travelers annually from across West Asia, Central Asia, the Persian Gulf, and the wider Islamic world. Iranian tourism authorities say the city’s extensive hospitality infrastructure, expanding urban transit network, and growing health tourism sector strengthened its candidacy.
Officials view the nomination as a strategic opening to deepen cultural diplomacy, showcase Iran’s historical and religious heritage, and channel fresh investment into tourism facilities in the country’s east.
Iran previously secured the title in 2018 with the northwestern city of Tabriz, which hosted dozens of international cultural gatherings and tourism events under the “Tabriz 2018” initiative. The program remains one of Tehran’s most prominent experiences in multilateral Islamic tourism cooperation.
The OIC tourism designation, formerly known as the “Capital of Islamic Tourism,” has in recent years spotlighted cities such as Konya, Medina, Bukhara, Cairo, Dakar, and Lahore, featuring the initiative’s growing international visibility across the Muslim world.