TEHRAN –Tourism has offered new possibilities and opportunities for income generation in rural areas of the southwestern Kohgiluyeh-Boyer Ahmad province, the provincial tourism chief has said.

Villages in this province have a high capacity for tourism, so this industry could be considered a new source of income for the villagers, Saeid Talebipur said on Monday.

Tourists, especially foreigners, are attracted to many villages because of their pristine and unspoiled nature, the official added.

The villagers can also improve their economic situation by offering tourists local, organic and healthy products, he noted.

So far more than 14 villages have been selected as high potential targets with the aim of boosting rural tourism across the province, he explained.

There will be support from the province’s tourism directorate for investors to develop infrastructure in these villages, he mentioned.

Kohgiluyeh-Boyer Ahmad is well-known for its ancient nomads and their traditions. Sightseers may live with a nomadic or rural family for a while or enjoy an independent stay and assist them with day-to-day life. It also opens up an opportunity to feel rustic routines, their agriculture, traditions, arts, and culture.

Having a very diverse natural setting, Iran offers varied excursions to nature lovers. 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.

The World Tourism Organization sees rural tourism as a type of activity in which the visitor’s experience is related to a wide range of products generally linked to nature-based activities, agriculture, rural lifestyle, culture, angling, and sightseeing. Such tourism also possesses characteristics such as low population density, a landscape dominated by agriculture and forestry, as well as traditional social structure and lifestyle.

ABU/MG