TEHRAN – The handicraft sector has generated a total of 418 job opportunities in the northeastern North Khorasan province during the first nine months of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21-December 21, 2021), the provincial tourism chief has announced.

Creating these jobs has been achieved by providing facilities to artisans and craftspeople throughout the region, Ali Mostofian said on Monday.

He also noted that the National Seal of Excellence has been awarded to 64 high-quality works handcrafted by artisans of the province so far, while four fields of handicraft have gained UNESCO Seal of Excellence.

Currently, over 16,000 crafters are practicing 61 handicraft fields across the ancient province, he added.

In October 2021, the official announced that a sum of 70 billion rials (about $235,600) has been invested in the handicrafts sector of the province during the first half of the current Iranian calendar year.

Handicraft products worth over 50 billion rials (some $168,000) have been exported from the province during the mentioned time, he added. 

He also noted that during the mentioned period the province’s artisans and crafters received 78 billion rials (around $262,600) in loans to support their businesses.

Experts believe though the northeastern province may not be the first choice of travelers, its tourism industry is getting momentum.

According to Lonely Planet, most foreign tourists pass straight through North Khorasan in transit between Mashhad and Gorgan, but if you have time to explore, it’s worth diverting south from the capital, Bojnurd, towards Esfarayen, famed for its wrestling tournaments, the remarkable citadel of Belqays and the partly preserved stepped village of Roein some 20km north.

ABU/MG