Iran targets tourism brand rebuild in postwar recovery plan
Iran plans to rebuild its national tourism brand, expand investment opportunities and diversify tourism products as part of a broader postwar recovery strategy, Deputy Tourism Minister Anoushiravan Mohseni-Bandpey said during a strategic tourism meeting in the central city of Yazd on Thursday.
Mohseni-Bandpey said the government views tourism as a development-driven and job-creating sector capable of drawing on Iran’s vast cultural and civilizational assets to strengthen its position in regional and international markets, IRNA reported.
"Rebuilding and upgrading Iran’s national tourism brand in international markets will be one of the central priorities of the new period," he said, adding that tourism diplomacy, international engagement, investment facilitation and stronger private-sector participation would also remain at the forefront of government policy.
Speaking at a meeting of the Strategic Council for Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts, Mohseni-Bandpey said Iran’s tourism industry had demonstrated significant resilience despite challenges arising from recent wartime conditions and related restrictions.
"The tourism sector has shown a strong capacity for recovery, reconstruction and a return to the path of growth," he said.
He called for a comprehensive roadmap for the postwar period, saying Iran must diversify its tourism offerings, strengthen marketing and promotional efforts and design products tailored to the evolving expectations of domestic and international travelers.
According to the deputy minister, more than 1,000 experts, academics and industry professionals participate in the ministry’s strategic council network, contributing to policymaking and practical solutions across the cultural heritage, tourism and handicrafts sectors.
Mohseni-Bandpey highlighted Yazd as a model for tourism investment, crediting provincial authorities and the private sector with creating favorable conditions for capital inflows and infrastructure development. He said the province has expanded projects ranging from heritage restoration and rehabilitation to five-star hotels, tourism complexes and eco-lodges.
A UNESCO-listed city renowned for its earthen architecture, windcatchers and historic urban fabric, Yazd is widely regarded as one of Iran’s premier cultural tourism destinations. Officials say its combination of heritage assets, desert tourism, wellness experiences and local cuisine positions the province to play a key role in the country's tourism-driven economic recovery.