TEHRAN – The 16th edition of a national festival dedicated to the beauty of purebred Turkmen horses will be held in North Khorasan province on Tuesday, the provincial tourism chief has said. 

Purebred Turkmen horses play a major role in the development of regional tourism and sustainable employment in the province, Ali Mostofian announced on Wednesday. 

The development of an eco-tourism industry of Iranian horses is essential and highly effective for the development of the province’s economy, the official added. 

The Turkmen horse is noted for endurance, bravery, smartness, and slender body. Many locals believe that breeding such horses is one of the toughest jobs in the world.

Local travel insiders believe that traveling in North Khorasan is gaining momentum by degrees, creating lucrative opportunities for the tourism industry. 

According to Lonely Planet, most foreign tourists pass straight through North Khorasan in transit between Mashhad and Gorgan, but if you have time to explore, it's worth diverting south from the capital, Bojnurd, towards Esfarayen, famed for its wrestling tournaments, the remarkable citadel of Belqays and the partly preserved stepped village of Roein some 20km north.

ABU/AFM