TEHRAN – On Thursday, Iranian tourism minister Ezzatollah Zarghami toured Malayer’s Mini World, calling it an exemplary theme park on a world scale.

“This theme park, entertainment, and tourism complex, which is well implemented in the city of Malayer, can undoubtedly be a very good model for other countries.”

The minister visited miniature replicas of the Eiffel Tower, Taj Mahal, and Egyptian pyramids, among several others, CHTN reported.

“Apart from being a travel destination, this complex is significant as it shapes a recreational, joyful and educational environment,” Zarghami stated.

Models of Si-o-Se Pol (Bridge of Thirty-Three Arches), the Hafez mausoleum, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, and Persian Achaemenian-era sites are amongst other monuments standing in the park.

When initiated, the project was said to be the first of its kind in West Asia and the fourth in the world next to similar projects in Japan, Belgium, and China.

As a window to the world, the theme park is estimated to lure more travelers to Malayer, which has earned a national reputation for its rugs and popular parks.

Iran expects to reap a bonanza from its numerous tourist spots such as bazaars, museums, mosques, bridges, bathhouses, madrasas, mausoleums, churches, towers, and mansions, of which 26 are inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

Under the 2025 Tourism Vision Plan, the ancient country aims to increase the number of tourist arrivals from 4.8 million in 2014 to 20 million in 2025.

AFM