Tourism ministry advances digital transformation with startups
Iran’s Tourism Ministry is moving to accelerate digital transformation in the tourism sector by bringing startups, knowledge-based companies and universities into its planning and development efforts, Deputy Tourism Minister Anoushirvan Mohseni-Bandpey said Tuesday at a Tourism Week news conference in Tehran.
The initiative aims to harness artificial intelligence and emerging technologies to improve destination selection, travel planning, service reservations, tourism marketing and visitors’ overall experience while preserving Iran’s cultural and historical identity, IRNA reported.
“Technology must serve people,” Mohseni-Bandpey said, stressing that digital tools should enhance human capabilities rather than create excessive dependence on technology.
He said tourism plays an important cultural role by introducing the country’s heritage, ethnic diversity, attractions and narratives to international visitors. The ministry therefore plans to use technology to better understand tourism markets, promote destinations and improve efficiency.
The official called for greater participation by the private sector, universities and innovation-focused businesses in designing the sector’s digital future. He said the ministry was developing different scenarios, including a “neither war nor peace” situation, to adapt tourism policies to changing conditions.
Mohseni-Bandpey also outlined a two-track strategy focused on expanding domestic tourism and developing foreign visitor markets. For international tourism, the ministry is prioritizing neighboring countries, with Iraq at the forefront.
Nine areas of cooperation have been identified to strengthen tourism exchanges between Iran and Iraq, while efforts are also underway to activate Iranian travel-service offices in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
The ministry plans to maintain a presence at international tourism exhibitions to showcase Iran’s diverse destinations, even when logistical challenges require multiple flight connections.
Mohseni-Bandpey said tourism had recorded significant growth in the final quarter of the previous Iranian calendar year and the first month of the current year, before the 12-day war disrupted the trend. He described tourism as a dynamic but highly sensitive sector whose recovery requires sustained planning and renewed confidence.
Despite the challenges, the ministry is pressing ahead with development plans. Around 3,000 tourism projects, including three five-star hotels in Mashhad and other cities, are scheduled to come on stream during Tourism Week.