The Education Ministry has given the initial green light to the insertion of winter holidays into the school calendar but its implementation in the upcoming academic year is still uncertain, the head of Iran's Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization said. 
Speaking to ILNA, Ali Asghar Mounesan said introducing the change could be a lengthy process as the ministry needs to adopt its own procedures for the scheme and the Parliament is likely to weigh in to have its say.  
"It will not be clear, then, whether or not the scheme would be enforced this year," he said.  The winter holiday is a plan proposed by ICHHTO with the purpose of distributing domestic travelers more evenly throughout the year and the country. It is expected to help boost tourism in the warmer areas of the county, such as the southern strip, which are not popular during the summertime high season.