TEHRAN –A total of five guest houses are being constructed across the northwestern province of Ardabil, adding 96 beds to the province’s hospitality sector.

Some 33 billion rials ($110,000) has been invested in the projects, the provincial tourism chief has said.

Upon their completion by the end of the current Iranian year (March 2023), these guest houses are expected to generate 60 job opportunities, Nader Fallahi explained on Wednesday. 

Last week, the official said that 300 job opportunities are estimated to be generated by implementing 11 tourism-related projects across the northwestern province of Ardabil by the end of the first half of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21-September 22).

A budget of 428 billion rials ($1.5 million) has been channeled into the projects, he noted.

The projects include hotels, guest houses, and eco-lodge units as well as a medical tourism center, a hydrotherapy center, and two traditional restaurants, the official added. 

Last month, an official with the tourism ministry announced that the Ardabil tourism directorate seeks to develop tourism infrastructure across the province.

It has been decided to allocate 800 billion rials ($2.9 million) to the development of the tourism sector in the province, he said.

This amount of money will be spent on strengthening the tourism infrastructure and preserving, revitalizing, and restoring the province’s ancient and historical monuments, the official added. 

Developing and enhancing tourism infrastructure is a key to creating sustainable employment in the country, he explained. 

In 2019, Ardabil along with Sari, the capital of Mazandaran province, was selected as the cultural capitals for the Economic Cooperation Organization for 2022 and 2023 respectively.

Sprawling on a high, windswept plateau, Ardabil is well-known for having lush natural beauties, hospitable people, and its silk and carpet trade tradition. It is also home to the UNESCO-registered Sheikh Safi al-Din Khanegah and Shrine Ensemble.

The province is very cold in winter and mild in summer, attracting thousands every year. The capital city of Ardabil is usually recorded as one of the coldest cities in the country in winter.

ABU/