SAEDNEWS: The villages of Soohili, Shafiabad, and Kandelous have been listed among the world’s top tourist villages.
According to the tourism service of SaedNews, Suhaili Village (Qeshm), Shafi‘abad (Kerman), and Kandelous (Mazandaran) have been officially listed among the world’s best tourist villages by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). This recognition has elevated Iran’s rural tourism profile internationally and, according to officials, positions the country as a leading example of sustainable tourism worldwide.
Seyyed Reza Salehi-Amiri, Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts, said this selection “reflects Iranian wisdom in sustainable development, heritage preservation, and public participation in shaping the nation’s future.” He added that this achievement turns Iran into a global model for human-centered and nature-focused tourism.
Previously, Mostafa Fatemi, Director General of Domestic Tourism at the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, told Fars News Agency that eight Iranian villages were nominated to compete with 100 other villages worldwide for the title of Best Tourism Village.
The villages included Mueil (Ardabil), Barghan (Alborz), Kandelous (Mazandaran), Fahraj (Yazd), Palangan (Kurdistan), Hasanluy (West Azerbaijan), Shafi‘abad (Kerman), and Suhaili (Qeshm). Fatemi noted that official registration in the UNWTO list has a tangible impact on attracting tourists. He highlighted that after villages like Esfahak and Kandovan were listed in previous years, visitor numbers to those areas more than doubled.
Known as the “Star of the Persian Gulf,” Suhaili is the first wetland-based eco-tourism model in the Gulf region. Villagers protect mangrove forests by replacing noisy motorboats with silent floating pavilions. With food festivals and local markets, Suhaili has become the culinary tourism capital of southern Iran.
Nestled in the Hyrcanian forests and Alborz foothills, Kandelous is a model of cultural and community-based tourism. With a 4,000-year history, the village preserves local heritage while developing its economy around the knowledge and craftsmanship of its residents.
Located in the Lut Desert, Shafi‘abad showcases the role of Iranian women in desert tourism development. Village women, through cooperatives and handicraft production, invest part of their income in restoring qanats and rejuvenating dried gardens. Today, Shafi‘abad, with eco-lodges and hosting the Lut Desert Marathon, has become a hub for desert tourism in Iran and beyond.
Each village’s inclusion in this prestigious list attracts international media attention, offering a unique opportunity to showcase a country’s cultural and natural treasures.
