The new Yazd and tourism industry

The ancient Yazd and foreigners

When fame is in the siege of the desert, the way for passengers to reach it is rugged, long and tedious. It is also not known for its green nature and flowing streams where people can afford the difficulties of the ways to get there. It is located on the edge of Lut desert and its summers are very hot. Because of this situation, it’s difficult for Europeans to travel to it. This makes every stranger who gets into it, attract the attention of the people of the city. Especially if this stranger is a foreigner. The people of the city still look at them with wonder. Whispers start. Who is he? Why is his hair and eyes so bright? Where has he came from? Why has he came? The women cover their faces more and make their steps faster and pass. A father stands next to the alley with his child, laughingly pointing out the stranger to him. When some marketers realize that this person is a traveler and he has come only to visit the city, as hospitality, they quickly spread a rug and offer him tea. What makes this city stand out is that the main route to Kerman and south passes from out of the gates of this city. Some of these sentences are Fredrick Richards’ utterances (who traveled to Iran in 1932) about Yazd. Likewise, Marco Polo wrote about its silk and Jean-Baptiste Tavernier was so impressed with Yazd that he popularized the proverb “woman, woman of Yazd; bread, bread of Yazd; and wine, Shiraz wine.
Just few decades were needed for everything to change. The road are now easy to traffic. The history and monuments of Yazd attract their enthusiasts. All over the city, you can see enthusiastic travelers and tourists looking at Yazdi people how they pass by with smile and sometimes say hello. There is no longer puzzled looks and sometime strange behaviors. You see a tourist playing football with Yazdi child. You even see the old men who patiently mix up English and Farsi words with Yazdi accent and even by gesture to explain his city and its stories for the enthusiastic tourists. The alleys are paved and the house and brick walls were rehabilitated to double their beauties. The number of handicraft shops has increased, especially in the old town. Because are eager to take a souvenir from this desert city. Meanwhile, Yazd became global and welcomed by the world guests. The traditional cafes, hotels and restaurants are full of nostalgic fans. When you walk in the alleys, the smell of coffee, tea and hubble bubble comes to you. Everything is provided for the arrival of domestic and foreign travelers and security is ready for everyone. The alleys that were empty at sunset, they are now alive until midnight. You can walk through them calmly and if you’re in the mood for bicycle riding, you welcome it satisfactorily. The tourism industry is now of great importance in Yazd. There are many efforts to expand this industry. If it goes in the right way, we may obvious good events in the next few decades. Did Fredrick Richards, Marco Polo and Tavernier, and the other people who had seen the ancient Yazd believe that a tourist become an inseparable part of this city? Perhaps this volume of transformation during years in the city which is known as Alexander prison, has derived from its mysterious past. Perhaps the people of Yazd wanted change, otherwise, it wouldn’t have happened in this way. Anyway, the outcome of this change is beautifull.