TEHRAN – Oman has lessened visa fees by about 50 percent for Iranians traveling to the country through the new cruise route which was launched in September, IRIB reported on Thursday.

The route, connecting the Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas, Hormozgan Province, to the Omani port city of Khasab, would contribute to a boom in tourism ties between the two countries, Mohsen Ziai, the director of Hormozgan Province’s Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts Department, said.  

The cruise route was launched in line with the goal of widening bilateral cooperation in the areas of economy, trade, politics, and tourism. 

Back in July, another marine route started linking Khasab to Qeshm Island in Iran. It takes passengers one hour and a half of sailing.

The distance between Khasab and Bandar Abbas is approximately 113 km.

PHOTO: A passenger ship departs from Bandar Abbas neighboring the Persian Gulf in an undated photo.

AFM/MG