Foreign Media Eyes on Iranian Sites

The presence of foreign media in Iran for preparing reports and documentaries about the country’s tourist attractions has seen a considerable rise since the landmark nuclear deal with major world powers in July 2015. According to Pouria Souri, the head of public relations at Iran’s Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization, over 100 teams from international news agencies applied for permission to prepare reports, photographs and films of historical places or meet tourism officials in the current Iranian year (started 20 March 2016).  The number of applicants has almost doubled compared with the previous year when 54 journalists sent requests to ICHHTO.

“The US, the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Turkey, China, Iraq and Oman were among the wide range of countries that chose to introduce Iran to their nation through news reports and programs,” Souri was quoted as saying by IRNA.  Reputable news agencies and media outlets such as Associated Press, Sky News, ARTE, France 24, TRT, Wall Street Journal, The Economist and Japan’s National Geographic, as well as a myriad of lesser-known channels and publications, have shown interest in Iranian attractions.  The provinces of Tehran, Isfahan, Fars, Yazd and Khuzestan as well as tourist sites of Niavaran, Sa’dabad and Golestan palaces and Iran’s National Museum (all in Tehran) have received the greatest attention from foreign media.

“The publication of these reports will help promote Iran as a tourist destination worldwide and hopefully boost inbound tourism,” said Souri.