Eight Iranian villages from Ardabil, Qeshm, Lorestan, West Azerbaijan, Yazd, Mazandaran, Alborz, and Kurdistan were nominated by Iran for consideration by the UNWTO.
After evaluation, the three were selected as part of the prestigious global network.
Iran’s Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts Seyed Reza Salehi Amiri hailed the recognition as “a reflection of Iranian wisdom in sustainable development and heritage protection”.
Soheili, known as the “Star of the Persian Gulf”,souhern Iran, has pioneered eco-friendly wetland tourism by replacing noisy motorboats with floating gazebos and hosting culinary and cultural festivals that celebrate southern Iran’s heritage. Kandolus, in the Hyrcanian forests along the Alborz Mountains, north of Iran, represents a model of cultural and community-based tourism rooted in 4,000 years of local history and craftsmanship.
Shafiabad, in the Lut Desert, is a symbol of women’s empowerment in desert tourism. According to the UNWTO’s official website, inclusion in the Best Tourism Villages list draws global media attention and provides a unique opportunity for countries to showcase their cultural and natural assets on an international stage.
