Mehr Shiraz Event aims to boost tourism
The Mehr Shiraz Tourism Event, a month-long tourism initiative held from late September to mid October in Iran’s southern city of Shiraz, is seeking to boost visitor numbers and lengthen tourist stays by showcasing the city’s cultural and historical heritage through a program of festivals, exhibitions, tours, concerts and other events.
Speaking at a press conference to announce programs for Tourism Week, held from September 27 to October 4, Behdad Moridi, director general of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Organization of Fars Province, described the Mehr Shiraz Tourism Event as a comprehensive strategy for provincial branding and the development of the tourism economy.
He said the ultimate objective was to transform Shiraz into a destination for events taking place throughout the day and night while encouraging visitors to extend their stays.
Moridi said a significant portion of last year’s plans for the digital transformation of tourism services, systems and platforms had been implemented. He added that branding had remained a central priority, with efforts focused on turning Mehr Shiraz into a recognizable tourism brand capable of attracting visitors from around the world.
Moridi emphasized the role of tourism associations and professional organizations in implementing the event, saying they should play an active role rather than simply serve as participants at official gatherings.
“We believe associations should not merely be decorative elements at events; they should be at the center of implementation,” he said, adding that government institutions, including the provincial administration and municipality, should work alongside them.
“Tourists need a reason to travel. We have to organize celebrations and fill the city with events, moment by moment, to create that motivation,” Moridi said.
He outlined four major components of the Mehr Shiraz Tourism Event. These include efforts to internationally register the “From the Ecstasy of Mysticism to the Secret of the Ghazal” event; a national investment conference featuring specialized meetings with the participation of the Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts and 100 leading investors from across the country; Expo 2026; and a national tourism and handicrafts exhibition at Molla Sadra Hall.
The program will also promote nighttime tourism by introducing after-hours visits to major heritage sites, including Persepolis, Pasargadae, the Tomb of Hafez and the Tomb of S’adi. According to Moridi, these programs will rely on smart tourism technologies and cooperation among travel agencies and tour guides.
He said the event’s programs had been designed with families and children in mind, alongside literary tourism initiatives and special consideration for accessible tourism for people with disabilities.
Moridi also announced plans by the Association of Travel Service Offices to develop affordable and economy tour packages aimed at promoting tourism within Fars Province.
Moridi said efforts were also being made to ensure that major cultural events, including concerts, generated greater economic benefits for the province.
In coordination with the provincial Department of Culture and Islamic Guidance, he said, travel agencies would be encouraged to incorporate concert attendance into tourism packages, allowing visitors to purchase concerts and related tourism services together. The objective is to keep a greater share of the resulting revenue within the provincial tourism economy.
He also called for scientific and academic conferences to be held outside university campuses and in venues across the city. Such a move, he said, could increase hotel occupancy and provide greater economic benefits for the local community.
Moridi thanked tour guides, whom he described as ambassadors of Iranian culture, and called on the media to widely promote the permanent event secretariat as a reference point for monthly tourism programs. He said maintaining a continuous calendar of events would help sustain tourism activity across Fars Province.
Mahmoud Fakhri, head of the Fars Province Association of Air Travel and Tourism Service Offices, said the Mehr Shiraz Tourism Event was being organized at a difficult time for the tourism industry, which has faced a downturn following flight cancellations and declining activity at tourism facilities.
He described the event as an effort to revive tourism businesses and restart the economic cycle of tourism in Fars Province.
Fakhri stressed the need to rely on domestic capabilities and take proactive measures rather than waiting for external developments.
Health tourism is among the key themes. Fakhri said guests from Afghanistan’s health sector had been invited to Shiraz, with business-to-business meetings planned between the visiting delegation and Shiraz travel agencies to explore opportunities for cooperation.