Study the Role of the Learners of Persian as a Foreign Language in Environmental Education and Sustainable Development through Tourism

Focusing on the role of Persian as a Foreign Language in environmental education and sustainable development through tourism, this article views the foreign learners of Persian in Iran as potential resources for expanding tourism and sustainable development. The article argues that through co-planning and joint investment, different institutions such as tourism organizations, the Department for Environment, and the Ministry of Science, Research, and Technology can efficiently deploy such resources toward boosting incoming foreign tourism to the country. The core of the argument is that via its verbal and non-verbal features, and as a powerful means of communication between individuals, language plays a significant role in connecting tourists and the local people in host communities. More specifically, it is argued that incorporating the literary and historical riches of the Iranian culture into tourism programs and teaching Persian can help develop tourism. This can be achieved through leveraging the way the environment and nature are represented in the Iranian myths, literature, popular culture, rituals, and traditions. To reflect such capacities, the article employed a phenomenological qualitative method using interviews with 40 foreign students of the Persian Language about their experiences of tourism in Iran. The results of the study show that by more efficient management and planning, related organizations can play a significant role in exploring the capacity of the centers for teaching Persian as a Foreign Language in contributing to the national programs for tourism, the environment, and sustainable development.