Coronavirus causes $52m damage to Zanjan’s tourism industry

Zanjan province’s tourism industry has taken over $52 million (2,200 billion rials) hit from the impact of coronavirus (COVID-19) over the last two months.

The loss amounts to 400 billion rials (about $9.5 million) in tourism sector and 1800 billion rials (about $43 million) in handicrafts sector, respectively, as all the tourist attractions and historical sites are on lockdown over coronavirus outbreak across the country, provincial tourism chief Amir Arjmand announced on Tuesday.

Zanjan is one of the cities founded by Sassanid King Ardashir I (180-242 CE). The province makes a base for wider explorations with the architectural wonder of Soltaniyeh, the subterranean delights of the Katale-Khor caves, colorful mountains and the UNESCO-registered Takht-e Soleiman ruins are nearby.

In late January, Zanjan was designated as a “world city of filigree” by the World Crafts Council after the WCC assessors visited various craft workshops, stores, exhibits and bazaars of city in a two-day itinerary in last December.

Filigree consists of curling, twisting, or plaiting fine, pliable metal threads and soldering them at their points of contact with each other with a metal groundwork.