Tourism via Bashmakh, Sairanband borders down by 30% during Newroz

SANANDAJ — Tourist traffic through the Bashmakh and Sairanband border gates during the Newroz holidays has fallen 30%, said Farzad Hassani, director of transportation and traffic for Sanandaj province. This year saw 22,139 individuals using these crossings, a sharp decline from nearly 30,000 last year.

Hassani attributed the downturn to Iran’s economic situation and the overlap of Newroz with Ramadan, during which many Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset, which also contributed to the decline.

Overall, travel within and outside cities during Newroz saw a 7% decrease from last year, with tourist traffic down by 12%, according to Hassani.

This drop contradicts the Sanandaj General Directorate of Tourism’s expectations, which had predicted a 15% increase in tourist numbers for the holiday period.