Iran (IMNA) - In a landmark achievement for Iran’s rural tourism sector, three Iranian villages — Soheili in Hormozgan Province, Shafiabad in Kerman, and Kandolus in Mazandaran — have been officially recognized by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) as part of its Best Tourism Villages 2025 list. The announcement was made on Friday, October 17, during the closing session of the UNWTO General Assembly in Huizhou, China.
Where the Star of Soheil Landed
Locals say that on a summer day, the celestial Soheil Star descended from the sky, marking the birth of a settlement at the very spot it touched the earth — a village that would one day shine across the world: Soheili.
Today, this village in Qeshm Island has become synonymous with the lush mangrove forests of Hara, where nature and tradition meet. Residents have long intertwined their lives with environmental stewardship — planting Hara seedlings in their homes and nurturing them for six months before transplanting them into the wild. This local tradition of ecological care has become a model of sustainable tourism, earning Soheili global recognition.
Last year, the village hosted the “Chi Chaka Hara Soheili” event — a community-driven initiative designed to educate children and youth of Iran’s largest island on environmental preservation, expand Qeshm’s green belt, combat coastal erosion, enhance marine life reproduction, and produce local livestock fodder. During the event, 300 mangrove seedlings were planted across the village.
Now home to around 2,400 residents — most of whom are employed in the tourism sector — Soheili was Iran’s most visited village last year. Its selection by UNWTO as one of the world’s top tourism villages marks the culmination of years of grassroots efforts.
A Story That Began With a Qanat
The tale of Shafiabad Village in Kerman Province begins with the determination of a group of young women who decided to sell their handmade crafts directly to tourists visiting the nearby fortress and the Shahdad Desert. Their initiative, branded Gojino, was a success — but the true transformation began when they chose to reinvest their profits into reviving the village’s long-dried qanat (underground water channel).
They “stitched for water,” as the locals put it — sewing crafts to bring life back to the desert. And they succeeded. The women of Shafiabad, now known as the Daughters of the Sun, have grown into a collective of more than 150 members, playing a vital role in the village’s economic and social revival.
In the past, Shafiabad was a male-dominated community, but women gradually proved their leadership and resilience. With cooperation from men, they transformed the local economy. Today, seven eco-lodges operate in Shafiabad — all managed by women — an achievement that captured the attention of UNWTO evaluators.
Shoulder to Shoulder With History
The story of Kandolus, nestled in the Alborz Mountains of Mazandaran Province, is as old as its legends. But its modern renaissance began not with myth, but with one man’s return home.
In the early 1980s, Ali-Asghar Jahangiri, a native of the village, came back after years away. “There was no road, no electricity — just isolation,” he recalls. Renting a mule, he spent two days reaching the village. That journey marked the beginning of Kandolus’s transformation.
Through collective action with residents, roads, power lines, and schools were built. Visitors began arriving, captivated by the village’s charm, ancient architecture, and natural beauty. Kandolus also became home to Iran’s first rural ethnographic museum — another of Jahangiri’s initiatives.
Adding to the village’s mystique is a 400-year-old local legend — the story of Mina and the Leopard. Mina, a lonely orphan, used to sing in the forest to overcome her fear. Her voice enchanted a leopard, and a friendship grew between them. One day, when Mina attended a wedding in a neighboring village, the leopard followed her scent, only to be shot and wounded by frightened villagers. Heartbroken, Mina disappeared into the forest with her companion, never to return. To this day, locals preserve the House of Mina and the Leopard as a cherished symbol of harmony between humans and nature.
The inclusion of Soheili, Shafiabad, and Kandolus among UNWTO’s Best Tourism Villages 2025 highlights Iran’s diverse landscape of sustainable, community-driven tourism — from the mangrove forests of the Persian Gulf to the deserts of Kerman and the mountains of Mazandaran. Together, these three villages now stand as global symbols of heritage, resilience, and the power of local action.
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