Ardabil and the capacity of religious tourism development
Ardabil province is one of the tourism hubs of the country, this province is famous for its natural attractions and man-made attractions in the field of tourism. The climate of Ardabil in spring and summer is a direct factor for tourists to travel to the province and plays a special role in the tourism boom of the province. But in the meantime, we cannot ignore other tourist attractions of Ardabil province, such as historical and cultural attractions. Ardabil, as the origin of the Shia religion and its historical role in the religious and religious destiny of the country, has always been of interest in this sense, so that without the existence of the tombs of the great religious figures in this province, Ardabil is known as a religious city. Therefore, paying attention to religious tourism and especially Shiite tourism in Ardabil can attract a wide range of tourists to this city and province.
Ardabil province can show its religious side to the audience and tourists in many ways, and therefore, the attraction of religious tourists can happen with different reasons and attractions and at different times. For example, the holding of religious ceremonies and rituals is one of the special features of Ardabil province, which happens especially during the days of Muharram and mourning related to the martyrdom of Imam Hussein (AS) or during the death and birth of imams and can be a good opportunity to attract tourists interested in this Be rituals. In addition to these shrines, imamzadehs and religious monuments are another attraction in the field of religious tourism that can be the motivation to travel to a region.
Seyyed Sadegh Hosseini, Ph.D. in tourism geography and lecturer in the field of tourism, says about the background and potential of Ardabil province in the field of religious tourism: Religious tourism is one of the oldest types of tourism, which is also one of the largest segments of the travel market. The mausoleum of Sheikh Safi al-Din Ardabili, which contains a collection of graves of elders, sheikhs and Safavid sultans, and ritual and worship spaces, and is one of the works registered in the UNESCO World Heritage List, as well as the tomb of Imamzadehs and Bekaa Motbaraka, and the mourning rituals of Tasua and Ashura Hosseini. It is one of the main elements of attracting religious tourists in Ardabil province.
The world complex of Sheikh Safiuddin Ardabili, as the most significant historical architectural work of Ardabil province, is also considered a religious complex, the tombs of the ancestors of the Safavid dynasty rulers, namely Sheikh Safiuddin Ardabili and Shah Ismail I, are located in this complex, and their role in the expansion of Shiism and the unification of Iran can be seen in this collection. is attention In addition to this, the Sheikh Safi complex has been a place of worship, secret and need throughout history, the most important part of this complex is known as the Allah Allah Dome, and the inscription of the word Allah on this dome tells about the beliefs of its founders.
Many religious tourists who go to Ardabil choose the world complex of Sheikh Safiuddin Ardabili as their first destination.
Regarding the event of Ardabil 2023 as the tourism capital of ECO member countries and the capacity of the province to attract religious tourists, Rizvan Bagalachi, the Director General of Social and Cultural Affairs of Ardabil Governorate, says: because Ardabil is the origin of the Safavid government, government and public collections should be organized in line with the event and introducing the cultural and religious history of Ardabil. , to operate and be a worthy host for ECO member countries. Due to being the origin of the Safavid dynasty and the Shiite religion in the country and the region, Ardabil can be a good place for tourists from different countries to visit both the tourist places of the province and the religious attractions of the province, especially rituals and ceremonies.
Seyyed Mohammad Hadi Al-Hosseini, the head of the German Shiite Federation and the person responsible for interfaith dialogue at the Hamburg Islamic Center, also stated during his visit to the world tomb of Sheikh Safiuddin Ardabili and the Ardabil Archaeological Museum: Considering the existence of the world tomb of Sheikh Safiuddin Ardabili in this province, which is considered a great capacity and Also, the existing religious buildings and spaces in this region can provide the basis for the development of religious tourism in this province.
Ardabil province, in addition to the world collection of Sheikh Safiuddin Ardabili, has important collections such as the mausoleum of Sheikh Jibraeel Kalkhoran, the mausoleum of Sheikh Haider Mashginshahr, important imamzadehs such as Seyed Sadruddin Imamzadeh, Suleiman Imamzadeh, and Daniyal Imamzadeh Imamzadeh, which can be important attractions in the field of religious tourism. Khalkhal city in Ardabil province has more than 50% of imamzadehs and holy shrines in the province and is known as one of the poles of religious tourism in the province.
In addition to this, Alevis living in Turkey and European countries are very interested in visiting the tomb of Shah Ismail Safavi and his ancestor Sheikh Safiuddin Ardabili in Ardabil, providing conditions for Alevis to travel to Ardabil is another potential of religious tourism in Ardabil.
Finally, it can be said that Ardabil province, in addition to its other attractions and tourism potentials, also has unique capacities in the field of religious and religious tourism, spiritual and historical heritage, religious rituals and most importantly its background in the flourishing of Shia religion are attractions for those interested in This type of tourism is considered. It seems that by providing conditions for the prosperity of religious tourism in Ardabil, this province can be called the capital of religious tourism in the country.