The city of Yazd, known as the heart of Iran's famed "Golden Triangle" of tourism, is currently struggling amid U.S.-Iran conflict with economic toll.
Six months after the conflict, Iran's economy is still feeling the shockwaves.
The ancient city of Yazd was a bustling crossroads for travelers from around the world, but the city's streets are quiet and hotels are empty.
"The recent wars in Iran have severely damaged foreign tourism. And the situation is not improving. Many of our colleagues are in a desperate situation, struggling to generate any revenue at all," said Mehdi Mirzaei, a proprietor at the Yazd Art House.
The fighting between the U.S.-Israel coalition and Iran has largely subsided, but the economic aftershocks continue to ripple.
The city of Yazd was built on welcoming visitors, so the impact has been devastating.
Once, hotels in the historic Fahadan district were booked months in advance.
Tourists marveled at the wind catchers and walked the ancient lanes.
But that was before the 12-day war in June last year, and then the renewed conflict in February.
Since then, almost no tourists have come.
More than half of Yazd's tourism facilities are now closed or operating at a loss, with some hotels reporting occupancy below 5 percent.
The "Golden Triangle" of Iranian tourism is now a ghost route.
For proprietors at the Yazd Art House, the collapse of tourism is personal.
Their hotel, once a vibrant gathering place, now stands as a monument to what has been lost.
"The absence of foreign tourists is very clearly felt. We went through a period of pause when our target customers shifted from international to domestic. That forced us to rethink our entire product and tailor it to Iranian tastes," said Goli Pourkavian, another proprietor.
The shift to domestic travelers has kept them afloat, but barely.
They had to completely reshape their offerings to survive. Yet the uncertainty remains.
"We hope we can survive. We are waiting for borders to reopen and peace to return, so people can travel, explore, and enjoy again. When that day comes, tourism, the economy, and the arts will flourish once more," said Pourkavian.
Iran's tourism industry suffers from impact of six months of conflict
