One of the interesting topics for all of us who use websites and social networks is the content related to tourism and travel, which is produced and published by influencers and travel bloggers. In some cases, this content is produced with such high quality and accuracy that it keeps people informed about the details and necessary information for traveling to a new region.

It can be said that in recent years, social media has greatly influenced the tourism industry. This global phenomenon has changed the way we perceive and plan our travels. In fact, platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter have become vital sources of inspiration and influence for travel. On the other hand, reading others’ opinions and experiences through quick online interactions increases people’s confidence, and this transparency leads to bloggers, influencers, and YouTubers taking more responsibility for their involvement in the tourism industry; as a negative comment from a customer could potentially result in losing thousands of followers. Companies and businesses active in the tourism industry are also changing their marketing strategies to align with customer desires. Many businesses today, instead of focusing on showcasing the traditional beauty of tourist destinations and cultural heritage, turn to bloggers and influencers with a large following to advertise and promote their offerings and capacities. The goal of these companies is to attract a wider audience and stand out in the competitive tourism market by utilizing the influence and attractiveness of

The population of tourists around the world has significantly changed and increased in the past years, turning into a high-income and important industry for countries – even for those dependent on energy economy. This is because the tourism industry has multiple values. However, despite having various tourist attractions – from cultural and historical sites to unique ecosystems and the capacity for various recreational activities in snowy mountains and warm beaches – Iran is witnessing the migration of the most famous bloggers, writers, and celebrities who are travel content producers with millions of followers. Due to the crises, restrictions, and deficiencies in Iran’s tourism industry, they prefer to produce content in countries with a more open and carefree atmosphere. Unfortunately, this phenomenon results in millions of dollars in foreign currency being taken out of the pockets of the government, companies, and foreign brands, and the hand of Iran’s tourism industry is left short.

Despite the fact that tourism, especially in its international aspect, serves as a bridge for exchange of knowledge and dialogue between nations, and nowadays the internet and virtual space are considered its key, in Iran, the digital tourism industry faces many obstacles. One of the most important of these obstacles is access to international internet, which is often blocked, disrupted, and slow, as the authorities of the Islamic Republic prefer the use of the domestic internet system. This unstable and fearful internet situation in Iran creates instability and fear for both the sale of services online within the country and for communication with international companies, as well as for travelers entering Iran who wish to have access to international internet. On the other hand, many popular virtual platforms are filtered in Iran, and despite the potential of online platforms to facilitate sales, advertising, and provision of tourism services, Iranian businesses face significant obstacles in using virtual space for these purposes. Websites and social media platforms such as Instagram and WhatsApp, which are usually used for advertising and selling services

Furthermore, due to international sanctions and Iran’s disconnection from the global banking system, international companies are unable to operate in Iran. As a result, facilities and capabilities of Iran cannot be presented on global websites and platforms such as “Booking.com”, “Expedia”, and “Airbnb” – which are the most popular virtual tourism gateways with a high number of visitors and provide the possibility for many users to visit tourist destinations around the world.

Another fundamental challenge is that the Islamic Republic monitors the content of social media and Iranian influencers, especially women, do not have freedom of action. They must also adhere to the mandatory hijab according to the Islamic Republic’s standards in this space, and their content must not go against Islamic values. If these influencers violate these rules, they may face summons, interrogation, and accusations of inciting public indecency and corruption. Government influencers may comply with these mandatory rules, but those who oppose the Islamic Republic, especially after the protests of the Mehdi movement, do not intend to censor themselves and portray the government’s desired patterns regarding the lifestyle and women in Iran. This has also led to an increase in their emigration from Iran and their activities in other countries.

After the establishment of the Islamic Republic government in Iran, in the first months, the foundation of isolation and sanctions against Iran in the international arena was laid with the attack on the US embassy and the taking of American diplomats as hostages. After this incident, international sanctions against Iran began and, in addition to damaging Iran’s diplomatic face, the effects and consequences of these political and economic sanctions still remain for the country. On the other hand, this government, in the name of Islamizing society, imposed extremist and medieval rules and regulations, such as compulsory hijab for women and even foreign travelers and tourists – which today are only imposed on women by the Islamic Republic in Iran and the Taliban in Afghanistan – which not following them is both a political and a religious crime. This issue has created a major challenge and concern in the domestic and international arena regarding gender segregation and discrimination, violation of human rights and women’s rights in Iran; especially since women have been fighting against these oppressive and patriarchal laws since day

Of course, these orders and rules were not only about compulsory hijab for women, but according to what was read in an Islamic society, gender segregation in public places and the prohibition of women entering certain spaces such as sports stadiums, the prohibition of various concerts, performances, celebrations, festivals with music, dancing and joy, the prohibition of certain foods and drinks, the imposition of a specific lifestyle, the deprivation of religious and belief freedoms, control and surveillance of individuals’ privacy, and hundreds of other prohibitions with heavy political and social punishments were enforced, which gradually transformed the space of Iranian society and created a society with a security and police system. This space is intimidating for tourists who are looking for good and pleasant moments with the freedom to understand and comprehend the real space of Iran.

All of this is happening while other countries, such as Saudi Arabia, have lifted these restrictions in recent years as part of their 2030 plan to develop tourism and reduce their dependence on oil. For example, news sources have recently reported the opening of alcohol stores in the country. In addition, in recent years, the most famous male and female artists and singers in the world, especially from the Arab world, have performed concerts and shows in this country. Regarding the hijab for women in Saudi Arabia, there is generally no strict government enforcement of wearing the hijab in most cities, except for the religious cities of Mecca and Medina. However, recently, women have also been granted the right to drive and attend stadiums. Saudi Arabia has always been a popular destination for religious tourism due to its hosting of Muslim holy sites, and millions of pilgrims from all over the world enter the country annually. However, Mohammed bin Salman, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister of the country, is competing with

Saudi Arabia has demonstrated its success in its projects in the 2023 World Tourism Organization report, with its tourism sector experiencing a 66% growth by attracting 27.5 million tourists. This record is significantly higher than the pre-COVID tourism statistics, indicating significant and effective changes in the country.

The most important factors of Saudi Arabia in this area are expanding their relationships with the international community and their mediation in their foreign policies with countries – even towards Israel – and major investments in developing their infrastructure to welcome tourists and host important global events, conferences, exhibitions, festivals, and businesses such as hosting Formula One competitions, golf games, Expo 2030, hosting the 2029 Asian Winter Games and the 2034 World Cup. (1) Additionally, the tourism organization of this country focuses on the advantage of technology in the growth of tourism, particularly in a strategic manner. Social media has emerged as a powerful tool for promoting Saudi Arabia as a tourist destination. In addition to football stars, actors, and singers, influencers and travel enthusiasts share their experiences as global ambassadors of this country and it seems that they have been able to change the image of Saudi Arabia in people’s minds and open a window for the audience to see this country in a different light.

One of Saudi Arabia’s completed projects that is now popular for producing content for world-famous brands and influencers is the “Alula” project, located in the heart of the Arabian desert. This tourist project, which emphasizes the artistic and cultural identity of the country in a modern style, has much fewer cultural restrictions compared to other areas in Saudi Arabia. Female tourists can freely explore the city with optional and European clothing and engage in various activities. Images and videos of this region have become popular on Instagram and TikTok as tourist destinations, and have also become the backdrop for brand advertisements and hosting various events.

Although these changes may still be merely propaganda and women in Saudi Arabia may not have social freedoms and equal rights, and Saudi society may be a male-dominated and human rights-violating society, and the government of this country may only try to change its not-so-positive image due to regional wars – especially in Yemen – or the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, we must hope that international events and participation in cultural diplomacy and interaction among the host country, other participants, tourists, business partners, and investors can bring about fundamental changes in past approaches and empower women and give them the confidence to participate in social spheres and reduce extremist and Salafi ideologies in this country.

But regarding Iran, political and economic sanctions against the Islamic Republic regime due to breaking nuclear negotiations commitments and instigating and creating regional proxy wars have severely affected Iran’s tourism industry and tourists. This country has fallen far behind its neighbors in this field, to the extent that a country as small as Qatar can host the 2022 World Cup, but in Iran there is not even a suitable stadium with standard turf to host an international game or accommodate spectators. In addition to past sanctions, the new round of interference by the Islamic Republic in ongoing wars such as its involvement in the Russia-Ukraine war, Israel-Hamas conflict, and its financial, military, and missile support for its proxy militias in Iraq, Lebanon, and Yemen, as well as their attacks on US bases and oil tankers in the Red Sea, and suppression of domestic protests and imprisonment, torture, and execution of protesters, and disregard for women’s rights and freedoms, are all factors that will have negative impacts on Iran’s tourism

While many countries around the world are trying to reach or surpass their tourism statistics from the pre-pandemic year of 2019, for Iran, according to the latest statistics published on the website of the World Tourism Organization, in the first seven months of 2023 (January to July), the number of tourists has reached less than three million (2,933,884), a significant portion of which includes Iranian citizens residing in other countries who had traveled to Iran to visit their families. In contrast, in 2023, more than 56 million foreign tourists, including over 2 million Iranians, have entered Turkey. (2) However, in 2023, the Islamic Republic, with the aim of facilitating travel to Iran, canceled visas for 28 countries, including those in the Persian Gulf region. However, it does not seem that this will have any impact on the growth of Iran’s tourism statistics in 2024, given the current unrest in the region. Moslem Sh

The authorities of the Islamic Republic are trying to invite popular influencers to Iran, but the last time Russian influencers were present in the country, it received severe criticism. According to Iranian users, it was seen as a government show coinciding with Vladimir Putin’s visit to Tehran. In the eyes of social media users, Russian women, with the requested hijabs, do not reveal the true reality of Iranian society and the luxurious facilities provided for them do not represent the real face of tourism in Iran. Additionally, Iran’s support for Russia in its attack on Ukraine not only does not create an attraction for European and American tourists to travel to Iran, but also harms the Iranian tourism industry politically and through sanctions.

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The tourism industry in Iran, considering the policies adopted by the Islamic Republic over the past few decades, has never been a strong representative and host for introducing Iran. Today, it faces fundamental challenges in terms of necessary infrastructure for hosting tourists, marketing and advertising, access to global markets, and the lack of a stable and strategic political platform, as well as the massive emigration of Iranian citizens, elites, and workforce. The reality is that the Iranian government is not capable of maintaining the dynamism of this industry and attracting tourists to Iran, as it does not provide the necessary factors and lacks comprehensive policies for its improvement.

Notes:

1- Saudi Arabia got closer to its dream, ISNA, 26 January 2024.

2- More than 56 million tourists entered Turkey in 2023, Radio Farda, 18 Dey 1402.