TEHRAN – The coastal tourism infrastructure in the northern province of Golestan could be boosted, the provincial tourism chief has said.

 The province’s beaches, specifically Nokandeh at its western entrance, can attract tourists and benefit its residents, Rahman Farmani explained on Tuesday.

In order to increase tourism in the province and retain travelers, particularly in the coastal cities, attention should be paid to the capabilities of cultural heritage, tourism, and handicrafts, the official added.

Investors from the private sector are also welcome to channel budgets in this sector, he noted.

Back in May, the official announced that the Iranian government allocated some 1.1 trillion rials ($3.7 million) to the tourism and handicrafts sectors of the province.

This budget is set aside for 55 projects in the areas of tourism, cultural heritage, and handicrafts, he explained.

Golestan is reportedly embracing some 2,500 historical and natural sites, with UNESCO-registered Gonbad-e Qabus – a one-millennium-old brick tower – amongst its most famous.

Narratives say the tower has influenced various subsequent designers of tomb towers and other cylindrical commemorative structures both in the region and beyond. The UNESCO comments that the tower bears testimony to the cultural exchange between Central Asian nomads and the ancient civilization of Iran.

Coastal and maritime tourism

Over the past couple of years, the Islamic Republic has made various efforts to exploit maritime tourism potential by developing hospitality infrastructures, diversifying sea routes, and drawing private sector investors along its vast southern coasts.

Prosperous maritime tourism could help the country to meet its ambitious target of attracting 20 million annual tourists by 2025. It also keeps an eye on tourism developments in the Caspian Sea in the north.

Back in February, the Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Transport and Urban Development signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to develop maritime tourism and make the best use of its potential on the southern and northern coasts of the country.

Promoting the culture of using the sea as a tool to increase social vitality, developing coastal activities in the form of environmentally-friendly plans and programs, and creating the necessary grounds for cooperation and exchange of knowledge and information was also among the topics of the agreement.

ABU/MG