Qeshm’s Soheili village named among world’s best tourism villages

QESHM, 22 October (BelTA - IRNA) - The village of Soheili on Qeshm Island has been officially recognized as one of the world’s best tourism villages for 2025 by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism), according to the head of the Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Department of the Qeshm Free Zone Organization.

Azadeh Abedinzadeh told IRNA that on Saturday, Soheili village, known as the unrivaled gem of Hormozgan, was formally introduced as one of the best tourism villages in the world.

She explained that alongside Soheili, the villages of Kandolus in Mazandaran and Shafiabad in Kerman also received the same recognition this year, marking “a major step in introducing Iran’s tourism potential to global markets.”

Abedinzadeh described the international recognition of Soheili as “a new opportunity for developing sustainable tourism on Qeshm Island.”

She further explained that the “Best Tourism Villages” initiative by UN Tourism evaluates up to eight villages nominated annually by member countries based on nine main criteria, including sustainability, innovation, preservation of cultural heritage, and quality of life.

The Islamic Republic of Iran has been part of the initiative since 2021, Abedinzadeh added.