The vast network of caravanserais along Iran’s ancient Silk Road trade route provided “shelter, food and water for caravans, pilgrims and other travelers,” reads the description on the UNESCO website.

“They are considered to be the most influential and valuable examples of the caravanserais of Iran, revealing a wide range of architectural styles, adaptation to climatic conditions, and construction materials, spread across thousands of kilometers and built over many centuries,” it added.

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Ahmad Dinari, a tourism and investment adviser, described it as a “valuable step,” stressing that it will attract domestic and foreign investors for the restoration and protection of caravanserais and also draw more tourists.

Iran’s tourism sector, beset by a host of challenges, has seen a revival lately, according to a recent report by the World Travel and Tourism Council.

The majority of tourists to Iran, the report said, come from Iraq, Azerbaijan and Türkiye.

Tour operators are also hopeful about the positive impact of the UNESCO listing, saying it will give the sector a much-needed boost.

“Iranophobia is the biggest challenge facing the tourism sector, which prevents many tourists, especially from Western countries, from traveling to Iran,” Kaveh Mirzae, a tour agent in the city of Kashan, told Anadolu.

“I think this UNESCO recognition will help dispel misconceptions about Iran.”