TEHRAN - Visits from Kerman tourism attractions grew 85 percent during the recent Nowruz holidays, said Reza Bordbar, the deputy director of investment at Kerman province’s Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts Department.

He told IRNA on Sunday that nearly 2,387,000 visits from Kerman’s historical, cultural, and natural attractions were registered from March 13 to April 5.

He mentioned that the Gohar Park Tourism Complex in Sirjan, which can also be reached from the provinces of Fars and Hormozgan, was considered the most favored site of Kerman province with 290,000 visits during Nowruz vacations.

He added that Shahzadeh Garden in Mahan, the Anthropology Museum of Ganjali Khan Bathhouse, and Bam Citadel registered over 93,000, 67,000, and 38,000 visits respectively during Nowruz holidays.

300,000 people tour Lut Desert

Bordbar said that based on the number of cars that entered the Lut Desert, over 300,000 tourists visited desert attractions such as Kalout Shahdad.

He added that 550 handicrafts pavilions including 400 temporary and 150 permanent ones were active across the province during Nowruz holidays.

He also said that 25 ecotourism museums were launched across the province to introduce local customs, traditions, and culture to Nowruz tourists.

The Kerman region is something of a cultural melting pot, blending various regional cultures over time. It is also home to rich tourist spots and historical sites, including bazaars, mosques, caravanserais and ruins of ancient urban areas.

The Bazaar-e Sartasari, one of Iran's oldest and longest covered bazaars, is a bustling hub of commerce and culture where travelers can experience local crafts, textiles, and spices. The ancient Jabalieh Dome, a mysterious octagonal structure made of stone and gypsum, showcases the city’s architectural ingenuity. Additionally, the Ganjali Khan Bathhouse, an exquisite example of Persian bathhouse architecture, reflects the artistic heritage and sophisticated urban planning of the Safavid era.

Kerman province is bounded by the provinces of Fars in the west, Yazd in the north, South Khorasan in the northeast, Sistan-Baluchestan in the east, and Hormozgan in the south. It includes the southern part of the central Iranian desert, the Dasht-e Lut.

KD