TEHRAN--The Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts has launched a targeted approach to strengthen the desert tourism, support the Sassanid heritage, and improve the residential and service infrastructure of Khor and Biabanak county in Isfahan province. The balanced development of desert tourism will be one of the future drivers of Iran's cultural economy.

According to ILNA, Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Reza Salehi-Amiri, continued his travel to Khor and Biabanak county on Thursday and visited the tomb of the prominent and renowned poet Habib Yaghmaei.

While paying tribute to this enduring figure of national culture, he emphasized the strategic link between the cultural heritage, indigenous identity, and sustainable tourism development.

He stated: “We have come to the land of educated, virtuous, and hospitable people of Khur and Biabanak upon the invitation of its representative in Iranian Parliament. 
Khur and  Biabanak people are endowed with a rich culture, a spirit of social vitality, and valuable human capacities, he added.

He conveyed the President's greetings to the people of Isfahan province, especially cities of Na’in, and Khor and Biabanak, and added: “Since the beginning of our arrival in the region, we have closely examined numerous projects and capacities, and I can confidently say that positive trends will emerge in the field of cultural heritage and tourism in this region in the near future.”

Referring to the visit to the historical castle of Bayazeh, Salehi-Amiri considered this monument to be one of the important centers of the historical identity of the region and stated that Bayazeh castle is a magnificent monument belonging to the Sassanid period that not only has a distinguished historical value, but can also become one of the axes of cultural tourism development in the region; therefore, it requires special attention in the fields of protection, restoration, and revival.

He pointed to the role of aqueducts in the desert ecosystem of the region, saying that the abundant and valuable aqueducts of Khur and Biabanak are a strategic asset in connection of natural heritage and civilization, which must be supported both in restoration and sustainable preservation and exploitation.

Salehi Amiri stated that Khor and Biabanak have excellent rural tourism capacities, adding: “Mesr village, having gained significant points, has been a nominee  to be on the World Best Tourism Villages list and today stands in a favorable position. We will try to improve the conditions of this village compared to the current situation.”

Salehi-Amiri described the ministry's major orientation as focusing on developing desert tourism, saying that among more than 20 types of tourism in Iran, desert tourism is one of the country's strategic advantages that has not yet been invested in proportion to its capacities, while many countries are seriously interested in this type of tourism.

He added: “By providing the infrastructure, accommodation facilities, and spaces appropriate for healthy recreation, the desert can be transformed into one of the main drivers of the tourism economy, and Khor and Biabanak county has the capacity to play a role in this trend; especially with the inclusion of the village of Mesr on the list of global nominees, which could be the source of a major leap in the development of the region.”

KD