TEHRAN – The first five-star hotel in the northwestern Ardabil province is scheduled to be inaugurated on Eid al-Fitr, the end of the fasting month of Ramadan which falls on May 2 this year.

The hotel has been constructed in the capital city of Ardabil, the provincial tourism chief has announced.

Ardabil’s selection as the cultural capital of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) for 2023 calls for increasing the number of 5-star hotels and enhancing tourism infrastructure in order to make the event a success, Nader Fallahi said on Wednesday.

Investing in the tourism sector is welcomed and supported in the province, the official added.

In 2019, Ardabil along with Sari, the capital of Mazandaran province, were selected as the cultural capitals for the Economic Cooperation Organization for 2022 and 2023 respectively.

Last April, the tourism authorities of the province announced that they have developed extensive plans to draw more tourists during the winter season to the province and make it the winter tourism hub of the country.

Sprawling on a high, windswept plateau, Ardabil is well-known for having lush natural beauties, hospitable people, and its silk and carpet trade tradition. It is also home to the UNESCO-registered Sheikh Safi al-Din Khanegah and Shrine Ensemble.

The province is very cold in winter and mild in summer, attracting thousands every year. The capital city of Ardabil is usually recorded as one of the coldest cities in the country in winter.

This year’s Ramadan began on April 03, which falls in the spring season in Iran and it is estimated to end on May 2. Because of the nature of the lunar calendar system, the dates of Ramadan vary each year and there is always a sort of disagreement among scholars as to when Ramadan precisely start or come to an end.

ABU/MG