Iran is described as a country full of contradictions and paradoxes. Although the United Nations ranks Iran as one of the top ten countries in terms of ancient history and historical sites, the tourism industry does not play a significant role in Iran’s economy, accounting for only 3.3% of the gross domestic product and 14% of the country’s income. The Iranian Cultural Heritage Organization invested 10 million dollars in international advertising campaigns in 2006-2007 to change the world’s perception of Iran and encourage potential tourists to choose Iran as their vacation destination. Despite all of these investments in the tourism industry, Iran’s economy has been isolated from the rest of the world due to its negative image, social problems, political complexities, and lack of international brands.

Therefore, it can be concluded that having the potential to attract tourists alone is not enough.

Negative face among people.

Tourism in Iran is largely affected by the weak relations between Iran (as a staunch Islamic country) and Western countries. In the statements of most investors and Western politicians, it is clearly mentioned that Iran is not an open market for economic and commercial activities. There are other issues that have contributed to the Westerners’ pessimism towards Iran, including the lack of embassies for the English and Americans, which reflects the lowest level of relations between these countries. Such actions have led some writers to describe the Iranian government as “xenophobic, ignorant, and harsh”. Most importantly, Gallup’s annual report showed that Americans wanted to vote for their favorite country in 2004, and Iran ranked at the bottom of the list with 77% against them, which in itself reflects the distrust of countries towards the Iranian government.

Social problems

The 2005 issue of World Travel and Tourism Magazine shows that tourists have been discouraged from traveling to Iran due to strict social laws, including the prohibition of alcohol consumption and discrimination against women. The international image of the country has been greatly damaged since the Islamic Revolution in February 1979, with the implementation of mandatory Islamic veiling for all women in Iran, including foreign nationals and travelers. Violation of human rights laws is another factor that drives Westerners away from Iran. Restrictions and punishments in the Islamic Republic, such as heavy penalties for expressing freedom of speech in the media (including imprisonment of journalists), limitations on religious freedom in the constitution, and discrimination against Baha’is, Sunnis, and Kurds, are evident every day.

Furthermore, the Iranian LGBTQ organization in 2013 introduced Iran as a place where homosexuality is punishable by death. Another factor that contributes to the negative perception of Iran in the world is that it has the second-highest rate of executions, after China. According to the statistics from the Center for Human Rights Documentation in Iran for the year 2012-2013, 710 people were executed in just one year, with 343 of them being officially announced by the government. More accurate statistics, according to a report by BBC Persian published in January 2014, revealed that in just the first two weeks of 2014, 21 people were hanged.

The lack of development of mixed beaches for tourists is another factor that has influenced the opinions of travelers. Surprisingly, mixed beaches exist in other Islamic countries such as Dubai and Qatar. In response to these issues, the head of Iran’s travel and tourism has stated, “Iran is not a mass tourism destination and is only a destination for mature travelers who share similar beliefs with Muslims.”

Political complexity

The report “EuroMonitor” has described Iran as highly controversial in global politics and isolated from the West. Economic sanctions against Iran have been cited as the main factor for Iran’s isolation due to its nuclear program. Regional tensions and Iran’s support for certain governments in the region are also political obstacles that hinder the future growth of the travel and tourism market in the country. Therefore, it has been proven that “all tourist attractions will not be able to bring tourists to Iran without political peace.”

Lack of international brands

Due to Iran’s weak relationship with the West, this country is described as lacking international brands in all sectors. Many global chain hotels, such as Hilton, which had branches in Iran before the revolution, were forced to leave the country after the revolution. Additionally, the country suffers from a lack of facilities and inadequate transportation infrastructure, as evidenced by the sanctions on two major Iranian airlines. According to an Iranian journalist, air travel on Iranian planes is increasingly unsafe and, according to reports from Iranian news agencies, in the past 25 years, 17 planes have crashed in Iran, resulting in approximately 1500 deaths. It is worth mentioning that due to current sanctions, Iran is unable to use foreign planes for domestic flights.

In summary, it seems that there is a significant distance between Iran’s current position in terms of attracting tourists and its long-term goal. Iran is a country that, due to strict laws and other reasons mentioned, fewer people are willing to travel to. However, if this industry expands, it will not only contribute to the improvement of the country’s economy and even its citizens, but also increase tourists’ familiarity with unique historical and cultural attractions such as Nowruz. But for Iran to expand its tourism market and be recognized as an official holiday destination in the world, it must first become a safe place for its residents, with respect for human rights, in order to minimize the distance between its current position in the eyes of the world and a free and prosperous Iran.