TEHRAN--Following measures for completing the dossier of Baraghan village in Alborz province as a nominee to be on the World Best Tourism Villages list, the villagers held a cuisine tourism festival with a focus on Baraghan plum and hosted tourists and culture lovers.The festival was organized by Alborz Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Department, local people, Baraghan Rural District, Baraghan Islamic Council, and Parseh Tourism Training Company, CHTN wrote.Pointing to the impressive enthusiasm for the cuisine tourism festival, the caretaker of Alborz Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Department, called it an important measure to introduce this village to the world.Holding a local cuisine and traditional dessert festival with a focus on Baraghan plum indicates high potential of this village in cuisine tourism and handicrafts sector, Nader Zeinali pointed out.These events boost economic and cultural prosperity in the region and prepare the ground for introducing Baraghan as a rural tourism destination at national and international levels, he added.A cultural heritage expert for pursuing the dossier of Baraghan to be nominated on the World Best Tourism Villages list said Baraghan Village is on verge of globalization registration.Tahereh Shahi added that holding cuisine tourism festival is considered an effective measure to introduce the capacities and customs of the village.She also said that Baraghan with three national intangible heritages including plum processing method, Goleh Ice-cream processing method and Baraghan Samanoo (a traditional Iranian sweet paste made entirely from mashed germinated wheat) boasts huge potentials in cuisine tourism.
Meanwhile, Manager of Pars Cooking and Pastry School Hossein Rahimi said the first cuisine tourism festival with focus on Baraghan plum was held in the village with 40 participants from various villages of Alborz province.
Rahimi, who was also organizer of the event, said locals accounted for the highest number of participants in the festival.Close to 40 tables including various foods and desserts in which plum had been used were prepared for the event, he said.In addition, 15 handicrafts pavilions were launched, run by local artists, he mentioned.He expressed the hope that the festival would be a turning point for holding larger events and promoting Baraghans food culture and handicrafts.At end, 35 were praised and cash prizes were awarded to first to third winners.Baraghan and Salehieh, situated in Irans Alborz province, were included in the national list of top tourist villages in 2024.Alborz, located just 10 kilometers west of Tehran, has undertaken initiatives to promote rural tourism.Among these efforts was the selection of 50 villages as potential destinations for rural tourism development.From this list, Baraghan and Salehieh have emerged as the standout choices for their unique charm and cultural significance.Baraghan, with its picturesque landscapes and rich historical heritage, has long been admired by locals and now stands ready to welcome tourists from across the country and beyond.
Salehieh, with its traditional architecture and warm hospitality, promises visitors an authentic rural experience like no other.This selection not only highlights the natural beauty and cultural richness of Alborz province but also signifies the growing importance of rural tourism in Iran.
By showcasing these hidden gems, authorities aim to diversify the tourism offerings of the country and spread economic benefits to rural communities.Over the past few years, increasing numbers of visitors have sought something different, such as spending a day in the quiet countryside, picking fresh fruit, watching rice grow, fishing by the river, eating traditional food or even staying with the locals.UN Tourism considers rural tourism to be a type of activity in which the visitor's experience is linked to a wide range of products typically associated with activities related to nature, agriculture, rural lifestyle, culture, fishing, and tourism.
This type of tourism also has characteristics such as low population density, mainly agricultural and forestry landscape, social structure, and traditional way of life.KD.
This article first appeared/also appeared in Tehran Times