There are different types of tourism and having knowledge about them is of great importance for planning in tourism era. As the required demands and services for tourists are not the same; for example, those tourists traveling for visiting their relatives and friends usually do not need hotel and even restaurant foods, but they use all other tourist facilities. On the other hand, for those tourists traveling for business, some facilities like hotels and accommodations are of great importance, but they may not like the local markets. Also, may be the rural tourists would not interested in city services, staying all the time in a village. Based on the same, international organizations and different scholars have categorized tourism in different groups, such as mass tourism and alternative tourism, so far. In another categorization, tourism is grouped to culture, adventure and ecotourism (ACE)[1] .
Other types of tourism are increasing, like space tourism, and electronic tourism that have been initiated in recent years. In today tourisms, the travelers would like to be far from material world, acquiring more profound concept of life[2]. With consideration to the type of regime, rules and beliefs of Iran society, there is no possibility for some kinds of tourism, such as entertainment and leisure, or it is very limited. Therefore, attracting the tourists with cultural motivation, being familiar with more and customs of ethnical and rural communities, visiting historical heritages, ecotourism and sport activities like climbing, is possible. So Iran can focus its main programs on these types of tourists.
 
It is worth mentioning that there are many types of tourisms in Iran, while you cannot see them in other countries, like tourism for war effects, tourism for visiting the cemetery of relatives and those killed during war. In war tourism, Iranians visit war fields, mass cemeteries, and war prisoner’s places, which left from 8 years Iran-Iraq war from 1980-1988, with devastating effects at west points of Iran.
Source: Yaghoubzadeh, Rahim. Obstacles to tourism development In Iran and solutions for it, M.Phil, s THESIS, FACULTY OF ECONOMICS, and Specialty: Hospitality management, Supervisor: Prof. Dr Wachoviak Helmut, Poland, Rzeszow 2007

________________________________________
[1]Fennel, 33:2003cited by alvani,2006
[2]Chuck.Y.160:1997
 

Rahim yaghoubzadeh
 University of science and culture-Tehran