TEHRAN – An eco-lodge complex, covering 2,500 square meters in area, has recently been inaugurated in the village of Baqerabad, Bafq county, central Yazd province.

The 45-room eco-lodge, which is said to be the biggest ever in the country, has a capacity for hosting 150 people, Bafq tourism chief Leyli Ranjbar said, IRIB reported on Saturday.

The private sector has allocated 45 billion rials (about $1.1 million) for the project, the official said, adding that 35 billion rials has been invested so far.

A Zand-era (1751–1794) fortress has been fully restored and repurposed to become the eco-lodge to make the best use of such historical sites under contracts for restoration, maintenance and operation.

Upon an initiative scheme, the Revitalization and Utilization Fund for Historical Places (known by its Persian acronym Saabta) provides opportunity for privately-owned businesses to run certain old structures in order to be maintained and repurposed into hotels, traditional restaurants or lodging places.

Iran’s Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization said in 2018 that 2,000 eco-lodges will be constructed across the country until 2021.

Experts say each eco-lodge unit generates jobs for seven to eight people on the average so that the scheme could create 160,000 jobs.

Having a very diverse natural setting, Iran offers varied excursions to nature lovers. Sightseers may live with a nomad or rural family or enjoy an independent stay. The country is home to abundant historical mansions, caravanserais, bathhouses, madrasas, and other massive monuments, which can buttress its budding tourism and hospitality sectors if managed appropriately and refurbished properly.

AFM/MG