'You Are Invited': Isolated Iran Seeks Foreign Tourists
People ride a horse and carriage through Isfahan's central square in June 2014. With its immense mosques, picturesque bridges and ancient bazaar, the city is a virtual living museum of Iranian traditional culture and is a top tourist destination. After decades of difficult relations with the West, Iran now says it wants more foreign tourists, including Westerners. John Moore/Getty Images hide caption
People ride a horse and carriage through Isfahan's central square in June 2014. With its immense mosques, picturesque bridges and ancient bazaar, the city is a virtual living museum of Iranian traditional culture and is a top tourist destination. After decades of difficult relations with the West, Iran now says it wants more foreign tourists, including Westerners.
Two events last week suggested the conflicting currents in Iran. The country marked the anniversary of its revolution last Wednesday with the usual slogan, "Death to America." The following day, Iran opened an international tourism exhibition with a different slogan: "You are invited."
Iran wants to welcome more international tourists, including Americans. But that's a challenge for a country that's wary of outsiders, and closely monitors its own people.
The exhibition suggested the attractions of Iran. A booth for the city of Yazd advertised a city with buildings dating back thousands of years. Sepida Sefarzadeh, a Yazd tour guide, offered a tray filled with baklava. She followed up with a ceramic tile decorated with with a photo of a famous mosque.
"This is a symbol of Yazd," she says.
The exhibition also brought a hint of the challenges. At the opening ceremony, we found the visiting leader of the United Nations World Tourism Organization.
"I think Iran has been sending some very positive messages about international engagement. Tourism is a very important tool for that," said Taleb Rifai, the U.N. official.
But he gave Iran some straightforward advice: "Open up."
Can Iran Change Course?
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'You Are Invited': Isolated Iran Seeks Foreign Tourists