Eco-tourism rises as Iran's currency woes clip travelers' wings
By: Ramin Mostaghim
Business is good. The falling value of Iran's currency, the rial — pummeled by international sanctions — has forced the country's middle class to turn inward for travel. Foreign destinations are expensive and often difficult to visit with Iranian passports, but everyone wants to get away occasionally.
Iranians driven by economic necessity are rediscovering the natural and historic landmarks of their diverse country, which for millenniums was at the crossroads of various civilizations.
No-frills eco-tourism appears to be a thriving, if limited, sector amid Iran's generally bleak economic landscape. Zhivar, one of a number of ecologically minded boutique travel agencies that have sprouted up, has seen its clientele quadruple in three years, to more than 2,000 in 2013.
Vacation packages range from one- or two-day bus trips to desert preserves, featuring trekking and stargazing, for as little as $10 to much more elaborate itineraries, such as stays at ski resorts. This vast nation has no shortage of attractions: islands in the Caspian Sea; the towering peaks of the Alborz Mountains; magnificent historic sites such as Persepolis, seat of the ancient Persian empire; and Esfahan, famous for its Islamic architecture.
