TEHRAN – Arvand Free Zone in southwest Iran will host an indigenous culinary festival from January 9 to 11, 2017.

The event comes as part of nationwide campaigns for promoting gastronomy tourism.

Titled “Iranian Cuisine, Tourism Culture”, the festival will turn the spotlight on local appetizers, desserts, herbal drinks, and main courses dominated by seafood dishes.

The function of the festival is also to host cooking competitions, workshops, scientific meetings on food, handicraft shows, and art exhibits. 

Organized by Khuzestan Province’s Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts Department in collaboration with Arvand Free Zone Organization, the event will also embrace dishes native to Kish and Qeshm islands, Abadan, Khorramshahr, Ahvaz, and Dezful amongst other neighboring cities in Bushehr and Hormozgan provinces.

The Iranian cuisine, usually embellished with fragrant herbs, varies from region to region, however it principally accentuates freshness, deliciousness, and colorfulness.

Earlier in December, the deputy director of the Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts Organization Morteza Rahmani-Movahhed said “Iran can increase its share of the global gastronomy tourism, which makes an annual turnover of about $300 billion.”

Arvand Free Zone is situated at the confluence of the two major rivers of Karun and Arvand and it shares border with Iraq and Kuwait as well.

AFM/MG