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This article explores the travels of Mir 'Abd al-Latif Khan, an itinerant scholar and merchant from Iran, across the Indian Ocean from Basra in the Persian Gulf to Calcutta in the Bay of Bengal in 1788 during the waning of the Mughal Empire and the onset of East India Company rule in India. In his book of travels Tuhfat al-'Alam (Rarity of the World), written in Hyderabad in 1802, 'Abd al-Latif draws upon longstanding Mughal views of the wondrous nature of Southeast Asia, tinged by colonial notions of the sublime, to cast the Burmese Empire and its forest landscapes as the edges of the Mughal world. Through the narrative of a journey to the realm of a universal sovereign and ideal Persianate king, a padishah and a rajah, reigning over the city and the wilderness, 'Abd al-Latif surveyed the Burmese Empire as a vast forest kingdom, a land of dense jungles of teak, herds of wild elephants, and rich mines of precious stones, a mythical littoral region of exotics and strange customs, a distant half-known world on the frontiers of Islam. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper is concerned with tourist behavior when selecting a tourist destination to visit in the age of smart tourism associated with modern information communication technologies. The theory of planned behavior is applied in a study of the issues with particular reference to Isfahan which is a very popular tourist center in Iran and one where technological innovations are being introduced to facilitate tourism. Results reveal that tourist attitude significantly and directly affects intention to travel to a smart destination while behavioral control does not have such an effect. Tourist beliefs and subjective norms are additionally found to positively influence visit intention and destination selection. Smartness emerges as an important force in shaping demand, to which the tourism industry must be responsive and attempt to ensure suitable provision. The research enhances knowledge and understanding of these aspects of the smart tourism phenomenon, the literature about which is still relatively limited, and further work is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As brands are extremely influential in marketing, destinations should work to develop strong and recognizable brands for tourism to succeed in differentiating their competitive advantages over other destinations. The main purpose of this study is to identify the constituent elements of the overall image of the brand of Iran’s main heritage destinations by utilizing heritage, general, and unique images, and it proposes a model for branding Iran’s heritage destinations. The study population included 750 tourists and was conducted from August to the end of September 2013 in three Iranian historic cities. Results indicate that the heritage image and the unique image have a relationship with the general image of the destination, and that general image itself has a relationship with overall destination brand. The results also revealed that the overall destination image and brand are linked to tourists’ perceptions of the quality of the destination, and the quality itself has a relationship with tourists’ loyalty to the destination. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The Travels of Marco Polo, and, especially, his descriptions of China and the Mongol Empire were, for a long time a work that captured the imagination of the European public regarding the people and cultures of Asia and considered a reference for this geographical space. However, his writings also helped establish as truth legends such as the secret religious "Order of the Assassins" and their mysterious leader, "The Old Man of the Mountain", myth that had already appeared during the Crusades. For many years the story went unchallenged as little information was available about who "The Assassins" really were. The current study focuses on Marco Polo's travel to Persia, more exactly to Alamūt, the headquarter of the Nizārī state, founded by Ḥasan-i Ṣabbāḥ, and on his account as the main resource. In addition, based on the most recent research I proposed a few answers to questions regarding the origin of terms used by Marco Polo and to shed light on the legend of the Assassins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article considers Isabella Bird’s representation of medicine inUnbeaten Tracks in Japan(1880) andJourneys in Persia and Kurdistan(1891), the two books in which she engages most extensively with both local (Chinese/Islamic) and Western medical science and practice. I explore how Bird uses medicine to assert her narrative authority and define her travelling persona in opposition to local medical practitioners. I argue that her ambivalence and the unease she frequently expresses concerning medical practice (expressed particularly in her later adoption of the Persian appellation “FeringhiHakīm” [European physician] to describe her work) serves as a means for her to negotiate the colonial and gendered pressures on Victorian medicine. While in Japan this attitude works to destabilise her hierarchical understanding of science and results in some acknowledgement of traditional Japanese traditions, in Persia it functions more to disguise her increasing collusion with overt British colonial ambitions. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Tehran has been formed in the southern domains of Alborz Mountains and transformed into a metropolis between desert and mountains over centuries. Today, considering Tehran as a comprehend unit, with unique identity for citizens and visitors, seems impossible. Therefore, the preservation and reconstruction of the strategic landmarks of the city which guarantee the common recognition of the city has been accentuated and underscore city management plans. In fact, the management of the citizens and visitors perception of Tehran depends on its strategic landmarks and landscape on which the common perception and memories of Tehran have been shaped. Managing the strategic viewing corridors pointed to these landmarks has the main role in shaping these common perceptions. In fact, construction and rehabilitation of strategic landmarks is not a single action but require a series of actions including an action which provides the visual accessibility to the strategic landmarks from strategic places within the city. Recent sprawl growth of Tehran made it necessary to manage strategic viewing corridors of Tehran; an action which is considered in the management plans in most of the cities and metropolises around the world, but not in any of city plans for Tehran. This article aims to define the possibility of strategic viewing corridors management of Tehran by questioning from the strategic landmarks of Tehran and considering the natural and historical potential of Teheran and the global experience in defining and managing the viewing corridors. Among all these, defining the natural and artificial viewing corridor to Damavand peak is the main consideration of this research. Locating and developing of Tehran in the mountain slopes and its natural, topographical and historical potential, make viewing corridors management of the city completely different from the famous flat cities like London in which the systematic management plan of viewing corridors were provided. Location of Tehran in the mount has made the strategic landscape and monuments of the city related to the Alborz, Damavand peak and Tochal which among them Damavand has the considerable role in the Iranian identity all around the country. Having estimated the situation, it can be said that today's most viewing corridors of Tehran include the natural southernnorthern and western- eastern viewing corridors pointed to Alborz Mountains, Tochal and Damavand. Hence, preserving and upgrading these viewing corridors among defining and managing the artificial strategic viewing corridors from important places within the city to Damavand, Tochal and of course Milad tower, are the considerable points in viewing corridor management plan of Tehran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present research aims to gain a better understanding of determinants on the souvenir-purchase behavior of inbound tourists, a vital factor affecting tourists' experience in destinations, yet scant attention has been devoted to this in the literature. Drawing on the Oh's travel expenditure model (2007), this study examines the influence of three types of variables: individual traveler characteristics; trip characteristics; and the perceived value of the souvenirs on tourists' spending on shopping. The results obtained, through an analysis of self-administered questionnaires gathered from a sample of 115 inbound tourists in Tehran city, showed that men tent to spend more on souvenir purchase than women; there is not a significant relationship in terms of shopping spending patterns between leisure tourists and business tourists; and design, traditional motifs, quality and portability of souvenirs affect purchase behavior considerably. Further analysis and other findings are also discussed, and recommendations for future research are put forth in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a case study on scenario analysis of land use change of tourist destination in rural areas of the central part of Noshahr, Iran. Topics mentioned include the strategies to reduce critical and undesirable factors, preventing land use change, and the dominant destruction scenario.

Ecotourism is compatible kind of tourism. Today, tourism industry has a great role in creating job opportunities and increasing income level. Having unique ecotourism properties (subcategorized under natural parks, jungle and plain, river and lake, waterfall, spring and cave -- as one of these attractions, upside-down tulip plains can be named which have a national function) and regarding geographical position, Khansar can play its role in economic, social and cultural fields and can benefit this industry to provide job opportunities and increase the income of it residents. The aim of present study is to investigate ecotourism effects and to analyze the role of aforementioned capabilities in development of the area and creating job opportunities and increasing income. Hence, this study is performed on the basis of statistical data and field observation of attractive ecotourism sites at the peak time of ecotourism and data analysis is carried out through SPSS software. The sample size - according to requirements of minimum sample in descriptivesurvey researches- consists of 100 questionnaires filled by tourists and 20 questionnaires filled by officials related to the subject of research. Results: The results of Binomial Test about the effect of Khansar's ecotourism on job opportunities (10/2) and also on income increase suggest that ecotourism in this city not only has created job opportunities and increased the income in the area; it also shows a correlation between ecotourism and creating job opportunities (Correlation Coefficient. /59) and income increase (Correlation Coefficient. /56). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to explore the attitude and perception of local residents toward tourism impacts and development in Torqabeh, one of the most popular tourism resort located in northeast of Iran. Two hundred and fifty households were randomly chosen as a sample of study and data were collected and analyzed with quantitative methods. The results of analysis revealed that local residents generally expressed a positive attitude toward tourism development in Torqabeh. There was evidence that Tourism-related job, community involvement in making decisions about tourism development, community attachment and length of residence are significant determinants of perceived tourism impacts and development. Furthermore, the study reinforces the need for inclusion of local people during future preliminary process of tourism planning in area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Pursuit of History is the property of Selcuk University, Faculty of Arts & Sciences and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

An aesthetic look at the beauties of a city will lead to the understanding of its dif-ferent aspects provided that a clear set of stan-dards are taken into consideration and the flow of life inside the urban structures and the feel-ings that those structures create also receive an adequate attention. This will further uncover a new aspect of urban beauties in terms of the city landscape - what has so far been rarely brought into the spotlight. Tehran was gradually developed from the Qajar era through the course of the Pahlavid era. It started its life as a quiet city overlooked by mountains and through which rivers flew. Another key characteristic of the city were the old and quiet alleys. In fact, it was mostly due to these mere natural beauties that Tehran was chosen as the capital city of the country. How-ever, it eventually started to become a popu-lous and busy place. Nonetheless, Tehran is a vivid and colorful city regardless to the many flaws like a high population and difficulties to keep it clean that have already made life difficult there. Tehran has numerous sources of beauty most of which are natural like the mountains, trees and parks as well as elements of the old and the new land-scapes. In fact, the city has an underlying sys-tematic order in terms of elements of beauty. Also, the co-existence of beauties that belong to the old Tehran with those of the new Tehran has created a unique identity for the big city. Tehran in its old days had natural and sym-bolic beauties. However, the appearance of the city changed after it was expanded to host a larger dweller population. The emergence of developments which were the results of mod-ernism also contributed to the change in Teh-ran's appearance. Today, the appearance of Tehran is a combination of modernism which has been excessively imported into Iran as well as the elements of nature that have been prevalent from old times. Nevertheless, what is mostly significant with regards to the mod-ern looks of Tehran are the elements that have been used for the purpose of promoting the city's beauties. Examples of those elements include artificial lakes and waterfalls, new plan-tation projects, murals, etc. The present article has assessed all the positive and negative as-pects of Tehran's appearance and has eventu-ally distinguished Iran's capital city as beauti-ful, vivid and vibrant. Nevertheless, it has been acknowledged that some external and internal elements have overshadowed Tehran's beau-ties. It may be difficult to notice the beauties of Tehran particularly now that the city is sur-rounded by many concerns and issues. Still, it is always possible to look at things from a dif-ferent perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Isabella Bird Bishop's Journeys in Persia and Kurdistan is presented as an objective picture of Persia, purportedly reflecting eye-witness accounts. Setting the narrative in its historical context and employing the concept of exoticism, this paper aims to unearth its subtle imperialist underpinnings. It argues that Bird's portrayal of Persian women and their mores and manners as exotic is an effect of a mode of representation which depicts and constructs difference based on a British-oriented system of evaluation, in line with its imperialist interest in Persia. As such, the exotic representation of Persian women in need of British benign tutelage and a chivalric mission could be interpreted as lending implicit support to Britain's colonial intervention in and imposition on Persia. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The author discusses the history, culture, and cities of Iran, and describes traveling in the country. The poets Sa'di and Hafez are mentioned, as well as the Vakil bazzar in the city of Shiraz. Tours to the city of Persepolis, built by the Achaemenid dynasty, are described, as well as ancient kings such as Cyrus the Great, Darius the Great, and Xerxes. The city of Esfahan, the architecture of mosques, and palaces in Iran are described.

The article presents a multidimensional, modern picture of the capital city of the Islamic Republic of Iran. It is based on my master's thesis, which employed an interdisciplinary approach to diversified sources, among others: sociological materials, historical literature, journalistic texts, novels and films. The article also analyzes non-mainstream context (e.g.: street art), the structure of social groups, the role of private and public space, the dress code, and gender roles. I emphasize the anthropological data: observation, conversations and the survey based on a questionnaire which consisted of open questions and was filled by 19 respondents. While presenting the history and evolution of the city and its contemporary situation, I attempt to show Tehran's currently prevailing trends and the perception of the city by its citizens and the others: foreigners, who do not identify themselves as "the Tehranis". The observed development of Tehran and its human dimension shows the city and its citizens via the voices of the inhabitants of this polyphonic metropolis, which, in my opinion, still presents a terra incognita in the international discourse. Undoubtedly, Tehran will continue to develop and to attract individuals wishing to exploit the possibilities offered by the city which is repeatedly stated to epitomize the whole of Iran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Isabella Bird Bishop was one of the remarkable Victorian women who traveled independently in both Persia and the neighboring countries of the Ottoman Empire. She came to Persia as a very experienced and respected travel writer who had journeyed alone and adventurously in the Americas, Australia, Japan and Malaya. Her travels in Persia in 1890 were possibly the hardest and most challenging of her life. She meticulously observed, recorded and finally published all that she saw-the terrain, meetings with the Qajar court, Bakhtiari and Kurdish tribal chiefs and the families, and the daily life and customs of the people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is based on an earlier one about James Baillie Fraser's trip to Khorasan in the 1820s, the first European to travel there in the Qajar era. But instead of focusing on Fraser's experience, the information given by him is used to view the circumstances in Khorasan from an Iranian perspective, which, in turn, is derived from a study of the three main categories of people met by Fraser. Through them and their careers, the paper analyzes the problems, both inherited and new, that the early Qajars faced from the outset. Each of the three categories is dealt with separately under the headings of Prince-Governors, Princes in Exile or in Obeisance and, finally, High Priests. Together these complete the overall picture in Greater Khorasan and, by extension, throughout Iran at that particular time. What emerges from a study of their careers are the seeds of some of the major trends that were to mark nineteenth-century Iran. Khorasan, with its size and position, was particularly well placed to afford a view of a society still dependent on tribal vagaries and the dominant role of the religious hierarchy. Above all, the geo-strategic location of the province affords a privileged view across to the outlying parts of Greater Khorasan which, although still viewed from inside as a part of Greater Iran, were, due to inherent instabilities, liable to manipulation by British and Russian imperialism. The most effective tool of the latter was a propensity to promote new national entities on the ruins of an empire struggling to sustain itself without means and with a dated mindset of which most people were sorely unaware. By projecting the circumstances of time and place onto the future, one can perceive a certain degree of inevitability in the upcoming history of Qajar Iran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Isabella Bishop, Dr Elizabeth Ross and Vita Sackville West all visited Bakhtiariland between 1890 and 1927. They had very different approaches and very different interests but, taken together, their accounts provide some fascinating insights into the important political and social changes occurring in that part of Iran over a period of some 40 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista de Historía da Sociedade e da Cultura is the property of Revista de Historia da Sociedade e da Cultura and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This essay takes a fresh look at the voluminous yet understudied Western travel writing about 17th-century Iran. It argues that, after this material is properly subjected to close scrutiny for authorial bias, interest and intertexuality, it remains exceedingly valuable for the information it provides on Safavid Iran. Early modern European travelers to Iran brought remnants of past religious and cultural prejudice with them, yet the best explored the country with an open eye, an appreciation for difference, and even a critical perspective on their own culture. They also provide remarkable, at times unique information about Iran and it inhabitants, opening up aspects of Safavid left uncovered by indigenous sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses various published reports within the issue, including one by Sussan Babaie that examines Iranians' views of the West during the 17th century, one by Sonja Brentjes that explores Catholic and Protestant accounts of Iran and one by Rudi Matthee that discusses western travelers in Iran in the 17th century.

The article provides an account of Anthony Jenkinson's journey to Persia, and assesses the faithfulness of his narrative by examining it in a broader literary context consisting of his diplomatic instructions, the oral sources informing his narrative, and extracts from the Persian chronicles where possible. The second part of the article compares E. Delmar Morgan's nineteenth-century interpretation and presentation of Jenkinson's narrative with its reception in England when it was first published by Richard Hakluyt in the late sixteenth-century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the author's experiences of visiting Iran in 2001. The author recalls that the trip reminded him of how distinctive Iran is from many other parts of the so-called Islamic World. He says that the deeply ingrained warmth and generosity he sensed from the people is one of the impressions that stand out when he thinks back about the trip. His second enduring impression is the ideological diversity of contemporary Iran.

Relates the author's visit to Iran. Criticism on the traffic situation of the country; Experiences in visiting the American embassy; Citation for the investment made by the Iranian government on public works.

Relates a visit to Iran from April 27 to May 16, 1999. Historical sites in Iran; Discussion on Iran's history; Highlights of the trip.

Presents a historical background of the Mohammera-Malamir-Isfahan route in Iran. Commercial development of the route by Iranian and British groups in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries; Stages for the journey from Mohammera to Isfahan; Topography and features of the trail.

Highlights the Royal Society for Asian Affairs' tour in Persia in autumn of 1976. Visit on the grandeur of Persepolis and the glory of Isfahan; Travel in Kashan; Tourist spots in Shiraz.