TEHRAN – The tourism directorate of the southeastern Sistan-Baluchestan province plans to facilitate investment in all sectors, especially in the tourism field, the deputy provincial tourism chief has said.

So far, the province has attracted several private investors to its coastal areas because of its unique potential for coastal tourism, Mojtaba Mirhosseini explained on Monday.

There are also tourism development capacities in rural and urban areas throughout the province, the official added.

To serve tourists as well as develop the infrastructure, several tourism-related projects are being carried out across the province in close collaboration with the private sector, he noted.

The collective province -- Sistan in the north and Baluchestan in the south -- accounts for one of the driest regions of Iran with a slight increase in rainfall from east to west and an obvious rise in humidity in the coastal regions. In ancient times, the region was a crossword in the Indus Valley and the Babylonian civilizations.

The province possesses special significance because of being located in a strategic transit location, especially Chabahar which is the only ocean port in Iran and the best and easiest access route of the middle Asian countries to free waters. The vast province is home to several distinctive archaeological sites and natural attractions, including two UNESCO World Heritage sites, namely Shahr-e-Soukhteh (Burnt City) and the Lut desert.

Over the past couple of years, the Islamic Republic has made various efforts to exploit coastal 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/AM