Iran unveils 50 water tourism projects, 300 investment opportunities
Iran on Tuesday unveiled a package of 50 water tourism projects and 300 investment opportunities under a joint initiative by the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts and the Ministry of Energy to develop tourism around the country’s water resources and facilities.
The two ministries also signed a “guideline for the implementation of tourism activities in water resources and facilities”, aimed at moving the projects from policy-making to implementation and attracting investors, ILNA reported.
Tourism Minister Reza Salehi Amiri said Iran’s share of water tourism was “very small” compared with European countries that have invested heavily in the sector.
“Iran has substantial water-related tourism potential in its northern, southern and western provinces,” Salehi Amiri said, adding that tourism development should be a responsibility shared across government institutions.
He described the Ministry of Energy’s involvement as an important infrastructure step and said investment in tourism infrastructure could create jobs not only directly but also in hotels, restaurants, transport and handicrafts.
Salehi Amiri also promoted tourism as a form of public diplomacy.
“Enemies of the nation are trying to present an unreal image of Iran, but when tourists see Iran up close, their perceptions change,” the minister said.
He proposed presenting Iran’s experience in developing water and heritage sites to UNESCO and UN Tourism through bilingual written material, films and media reports.
The investment guidebook for water tourism projects, unveiled alongside the package, is intended to support investment in the sector.
Under the signed guideline, cooperation will be strengthened at provincial level between cultural heritage officials and regional water and electricity companies so projects can move forward from promotion to implementation and investment.
Salehi Amiri also praised the Ministry of Energy for maintaining essential services and rebuilding damaged infrastructure amid what he described as difficult conditions and losses caused by the wars waged by the US and Israel against Iran this year and a year earlier.