KISH ISLAND The director of the Kish Summer Festival Executive Headquarters, Mostafa Ebrahimi, said, "The Fourth Kish Summer Festival has been successful in its efforts for providing situations adopted to international standards to attract domestic and foreign tourists and investors."

The director of the Kish Free Trade Zone Customs Office, Iraj Gerayeli, said that the goals of the festival are follows: 1. Providing a suitable atmosphere for tourists; 2. Winning the trust of the visitors; 3. Encouraging private sector cooperation.

Gerayeli discused these three goals of the festival and said that the 30 percent increase of visitors compared to last year bears witness to the success of this festival.

Ebrahimi also pointing to the increase in number of the tourists visiting Kish noted, "In July, 2001 some 60,760 people have entered Kish via sea and air. In the aviation section we have witnessed a 40 percent increase. About 1500 to 2000 people enter Kish per day."

He said that since there are not enough flights to accommodate all the tourists who are interested in travelling to Kish Island, the ideal level in attracting tourists could not be reached, adding, "It has been decided that two more flights to Kish should be scheduled."

Gerayeli, speaking about the facilities of the Kish Free Trade Zone Customs Office, said that since the number of customs inspectors has been increased, tourists are passing through customs more quickly. Gerayeli said that the Kish Customs Office has taken fundamental steps toward facilitating tourist transit. He added that the most important issue which is hindering the tourist industry and creating problems for Kish in competing with other Persian Gulf islands is that the tourists are only allowed to purchase $80 of the duty-free goods, which is not enough.

The head of the State Customs Organization has proposed that tourists be allowed to buy $160 of duty-free goods, and he expressed hope that this proposal would be approved.

He said that, despite the rumors, there is no smuggling in the Kish Free Trade Zone.

Gerayeli also suggested that in order to attract more tourists, they should be allowed to purchase $250 of duty-free goods.