Iran is incredibly rich in cultural and heritage resources, with 16 inscribed world heritage sites and 54 properties on the UNESCO tentative list. The remains of the Achaemenid Empire (550 BC) include extensive and well-developed road networks, show that travel has long flourished in Iran. Developing the first tourism infrastructures in contemporary Iran, dates back to 1930s where the first tourism facilities were built. During the past years, tourism policies in Iran have changed considerably and as a result after the Islamic revolution, Western country markets have fallen dramatically and neighboring Islamic countries have been the main inbound tourism market. Based on tourism activities in different historical periods and compare it to Butler's tourism area life cycle, contemporary tourism development in Iran was categorized in four stages.
