Van gears up to host 60,000 Iranian tourists during Nowruz celebrations
An aerial view of the Akdamar Island, located in the middle of Lake Van and famous for its natural beauty, after snowfall in Gevas district of Van, Turkiye on February 22, 2025. The island, one of the most visited places by local and foreign tourists. (Ozkan Bilgin/AA Photo)
As the Iranian New Year, Nowruz, approaches on March 20, the Turkish city of Van is preparing to welcome a significant influx of visitors. Iranian tourists are set to arrive in large numbers to celebrate the 14-day Nowruz holiday, with an estimated 60,000 Iranian tourists expected to visit the city this year.
In addition to the usual tourist activities, this year’s Nowruz celebrations will coincide with the city’s “Shopping Fest,” a vibrant festival designed to promote local commerce and highlight the region’s rich cultural and historical heritage.
Nowruz holiday, the ’15th Annual Shopping Fest’
The 15th annual Shopping Fest kicked off on March 15 and will run until April 5. The festival’s primary goal is to increase Van’s cultural profile, boost the city’s brand value, and revitalize its local economy. The event aligns perfectly with the Nowruz holiday, a time when Iranian tourists traditionally travel to Türkiye to celebrate and enjoy a vacation.
This year’s 21-day festival is expected to benefit several sectors, including tourism, food and beverage, transportation, and accommodation. The tourism surge is already underway, with Iranian visitors arriving through the Kapikoy Customs Gate and via a newly launched train service that connects Tehran and Van, which began operating on March 9.
Anticipating growth in tourism for 2024 and beyond
Necdet Takva, President of the Van Chamber of Commerce and Industry, shared his perspective on the growing tourism movement. He explained that the Shopping Fest was first launched in 2015 as part of an effort to capitalize on the Iranian New Year holiday. The festival has since proven to be a success, with businesses offering discounts and gifts to attract visitors.
In 2023, Van aimed for 1 million tourists but welcomed approximately 720,000, achieving 72% of the target. While this was considered a success, Takva noted that the target for 2024 was revised due to Iran’s economic conditions and is now set for 2025.
Despite this, the city still expects around 1 million tourists to visit Van from all parts of the world by the end of the year.
Nowruz celebrations expected to bring record numbers of tourists
For the 2024 Nevruz celebrations, Takva is optimistic that the number of visitors will reach new heights. He predicts that around 60,000 Iranian tourists will visit Van during March, surpassing last year’s 49,000 visitors.
This represents a 20% increase in arrivals since January, signaling strong growth in the city’s tourism industry.
Although the Iranian rial has lost value against the Turkish lira, reducing the purchasing power of some visitors, Takva believes the cultural and commercial ties between Iranian tourists and Van remain resilient. He explained that for many Iranians, Van is a neighboring city that is easy to visit for short trips, which helps to strengthen the bond between the two regions.
Role of train services in boosting tourism
An exciting addition to Van’s tourism infrastructure this year is the reintroduction of a train service between Tehran and Van. This train had previously operated five years ago and resumed service in 2024, with trips now running twice a week.
The first train carried 200 passengers, and this number has since increased to 208. Takva believes this train service will significantly contribute to the flow of Iranian tourists to Van.
Tourists arriving by train have expressed satisfaction with the journey and are eager to explore both the Shopping Fest and the Newroz celebrations. After taking part in the festivities and shopping, many plan to return to Iran, further cementing the cultural and economic exchange between the two countries.
Boosting Van’s economy
As Van prepares for a surge in visitors during the Nevruz holiday, the city’s tourism sector and local economy stand to benefit greatly.
The long-standing cultural ties between Van and Iran are continuing to grow stronger, with both sides looking forward to a prosperous future of mutual exchange and cooperation.
The Nowruz holiday and the accompanying Shopping Fest provide a unique opportunity for the city to shine, highlighting its cultural richness while offering a boost to its local economy.
