TEHRAN Khorasan Razavi creates some $4.5 billion every year from worldwide tourist, according to Seyyed Javad Mousavi, the director-general of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts for the northeastern Iranian province.Speaking to press reporters, Mousavi kept in mind that approximately 50% of Irans global travelers check out Khorasan Razavi each year, totaling up to about 3.5 million visitors.
Typically, each global traveler contributes $1,500 to the provinces economy.
Tourists from Pakistan, Persian Gulf littoral states, and other neighboring countries such as Tajikistan and Afghanistan form the majority of visitors, he said.Mousavi highlighted the significant function of medical tourism in drawing in visitors from Arab nations, which alone generated $10 million in earnings for the province in the previous Iranian calendar year (ended March 20, 2025).
Aiming to further enhance its appeal, the province has concentrated on enhancing ties with surrounding nations.
According to the authorities, financial delegations from the province have gone to Pakistan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan to reinforce partnerships and enhance accessibility for tourists.
Following these efforts, direct flights from Mashhad to major cities in Pakistan have actually increased from one to 2 per week, with strategies to expand to three flights.
Pakistan, with its 50 million Shia Muslims, sees a significant variety of tourists excited to visit the shrine of Imam Reza (A.S.) in Mashhad.Additionally, plans have been made to develop direct flights between Mashhad and the Uzbek cities of Samarkand and Bukhara, along with discounts of 3050% on travel services provided by agencies and hotels for Uzbek travelers.
In Tajikistan, the lifting of visa requirements, accomplished through presidential negotiations, and the operation of direct flights between Mashhad and Dushanbe have increased tourist inflows, especially throughout the Nowruz festivities.Elsewhere in his remarks, the main kept in mind that the province likewise continues to organize special programs focusing on the areas cultural heritage and significant figures to draw in and engage Tajik tourists.Mashhad is Irans holiest city.
Its raison dtre is the striking shrine complex of the 8th Shia Imam that is encircled by lots of five-star hotels and many other lodging centers.In August 2020, the spiritual tradition of pilgrimage to the holy shrine of Imam Reza (AS) was registered on the National Intangible Cultural Heritage list by the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts.AM