TEHRAN—Tourism authorities of the southwestern Bushehr province discussed ways to make the most of the Qatar World Cup opportunities during a meeting on Wednesday.

As part of this meeting, different organizations were taken into account in terms of their role in achieving this goal, Bushehr’s tourism chief has said.

Each related organization should announce its plans and address obstacles and issues in the shortest possible time, CHTN quoted Esmaeil Sajadimanesh as saying on Thursday.

Spectators can be transported to and from Iran via cruise ships during the World Cup, the official added.

According to the tourism ministry, fuel subsidies are planned to be allocated to cruise ships, which will reduce sea travel costs and encourage passengers to travel by sea during the mentioned time, he noted.

Moreover, Qatari and foreign nationals are allowed to travel to Iran by their vehicle during the World Cup, he mentioned.

Back in September, the province’s governor Ahmad Mohammadizadeh announced that having the Qatar World Cup in a neighboring country and its closeness to Iran can be a good opportunity, especially for the southern regions of the country.

There are more special conditions in Bushehr province than in other provinces since it is located in the closest proximity to Qatar, with Dayyer port in Bushehr being 160 kilometers away from Qatar’s Al Ruwais port, he said.

Due to the proximity of the two countries’ ports, Qatar can provide part of its needs through the Dayyer port during the World Cup and the months leading up to and after it, he added.

Back in May, the Iranian Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts Minister Ezzatollah Zarghami and Qatar’s Minister of Culture and Sports Abdulrahman bin Hamad bin Jassim bin Hamad Al-Thani met in Tehran, exchanging views on how to facilitate tourism during the World Cup.

The two countries discussed ways to further deepen tourism, cultural heritage, and handicraft ties by taking advantage of the World Cup opportunity in Qatar.

Zarghami suggested setting up a committee to plan and coordinate ideas and to make the most of the World Cup’s capacity.

The minister also said that there are nearly 300 Iranian handicrafts fields and many of the items are culturally quite close to Qatar, and classes can be held to bring the Iranian artists’ experience to Qatari artists.

Back in April, the Iranian media reported that the government mulled over a visa simplification procedure at the suggestion of its Foreign Ministry to draw spectators from neighboring Qatar, which plays host to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 in November and December.

The Iranian government plans to grant a free visa to citizens whose national football teams qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar for a one-time or a two-time period with a validity period of two months and a 30-day stay.

The minister said many people are interested in visiting Iran for its historical attractions and eco-tourism, to name a few.

ABU/AM