The Ettela’at report highlighted Europeans as showing the greatest interest in visiting Iran. This reflects several overlapping factors.
Europe had long maintained intellectual and cultural connections with Persia and Iran. European scholars, diplomats, travelers, archaeologists, artists, and writers had been visiting the country for centuries. By the twentieth century, knowledge of Persian history had become firmly established in European academic and cultural institutions.
The ruins of Persepolis were especially powerful symbols of Iran’s ancient past. The Achaemenid Empire had occupied a prominent place in the study of ancient history, while later Iranian dynasties added further layers of architectural and cultural significance.
Iran could therefore offer European tourists something different from a conventional beach or resort destination. It was a destination for historical and cultural travel.
The attraction was not limited to ancient ruins. Iran’s Islamic architectural heritage was equally important. The mosques, bridges, palaces, gardens, bazaars, caravanserais, and urban spaces of cities such as Isfahan represented centuries of artistic and architectural development.
Shiraz offered connections to Persian literature and poetry as well as nearby archaeological sites. Isfahan presented monumental Safavid architecture. Tehran, meanwhile, represented the modern capital and the rapidly changing face of contemporary Iran.
The coexistence of ancient, medieval, early modern, and modern attractions gave Iran a remarkable variety of tourism experiences.
