A bright future is on the way for Semnan Province's cultural heritage

According to the report of the Cultural Heritage News Agency, Jalal Tajik said in a press conference with media representatives: In November 2025, at the beginning of my mission in Semnan Province, policies were made for the restoration and registration of cultural heritage sites, the prosperity of tourism, the development of infrastructure, and the support of artisans in Semnan Province, which have now reached the implementation stage. The Director General of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts of Semnan Province, referring to the province's future plans for the revival of historical buildings and the development of tourism-related economic capacities, added: The main focus of these plans is to move Semnan Province from being a transit route to a tourism destination by attracting large-scale investments and providing targeted support to artisans. He stated: The call for investors for the restoration and operation of the historical caravanserai of Semnan city, with a 40-year lease condition, is one of these projects, which will be announced soon after the case is reviewed by the National Treasures Committee and the necessary permits are obtained. Tajik said that the Semnan Municipality has also announced its readiness to improve the environment around this caravanserai, adding: It has been decided that minimal preparations will be made for tourists to visit the Semnan caravanserai during the Eid holidays, but the main work should be handed over to the private sector so that we can have excellent infrastructure from a tourism perspective. The Director General of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts of Semnan Province emphasized: The transfer of historical houses to the private sector for preservation, revival, and restoration is among the fixed policies of the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts of Semnan Province. He announced serious follow-up for the global registration of several important sites in Semnan Province, stating: The Jameh Mosque of Forumat in Miyami County, the Tarikhanah Mosque of Damghan, the Imam Khomeini (RA) Mosque of Semnan, and the tourism target village of Qaleh Bala in Shahroud are among the sites under pursuit. Tajik added: For the completion of the handicrafts market and the great museum of Semnan, this General Directorate requires special funding or monetization. Subsequently, Nasibeh Hemmati, Deputy of Management and Resource Development of the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts of Semnan Province, stated: Out of 930 billion Rials of approved credit for the restoration and maintenance of historical sites, only 180 billion Rials have been allocated, which is not sufficient to meet the needs. She emphasized the necessity of media and private sector cooperation in securing funding through monetization and the participation of taxpayers. Also, Samaneh Soltanipour, Deputy of Handicrafts of the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts of Semnan Province, announced at this meeting: Over one thousand billion Rials in facilities have been allocated to home-based businesses and artisans of the province and are in the process of disbursement, with the main focus on empowering producers and their entry into sales markets, especially online. The Deputy of Handicrafts of the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts of Semnan Province added: 496 artisans have undergone specialized training, 48 handicraft works from the province have received the National Seal of Excellence, and there are 28 active handicraft stores in the province. Finally, Taherian, Deputy of Tourism of the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts of Semnan Province, stated: The presence of 5,000 foreign students in Semnan and Shahroud has provided a good opportunity for tourism accommodations and facilities, and has increased the occupancy rate of hotels and accommodations in the province. The Deputy of Tourism of the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts of Semnan Province said: The prices of services in the province's tourism facilities have been updated so that the activists in this sector do not suffer losses, and it is hoped that this will help improve the status of tourism facilities in the province. He stated: The 19th Tehran International Tourism Exhibition, which will be held from February 12 to 15, is a special opportunity to introduce the tourism capacities of the province.