TEHRAN–The northern Gilan province has recorded some 17 million overnight stays, mainly by domestic travelers, in the first five months of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21-August 22), a provincial official announced.

Some 17 million overnight stays have been recorded for the first five months of the year at authorized accommodation centers such as hotels, traditional lodging houses, eco-lodge units, apartment hotels, and guest houses, the provincial tourism chief said on Saturday.

The figure jumped 175 percent in comparison to the same period last year, adding the majority of stays have been made in the eco-lodge units, Vali Jahani said.

Gilan welcomed 25 million travelers during the mentioned period, the official stated.

The lush green province is known for its tourist attractions and warm-hearted and hospitable people. The people of Gilan from different ethnic groups, including Gilak, Talesh, and Tat, have come together and formed a very rich and diverse culture and customs.

The Gilan region was within the sphere of influence of the successive Achaemenian, Seleucid, Parthian, and Sasanian empires that ruled Iran until the 7th century CE. The subsequent Arab conquest of Iran led to the rise of many local dynasties, and Gilan acquired an independent status that continued until 1567.

Furthermore, its sophisticated capital city of Rasht has long been a weekend escape for residents of Tehran who are looking to sample the famous local cuisine and hoping for some pluvial action–it's the largest and wettest town in the northern region. Gilan is divided into a coastal plain, including the large delta of Sefid Rud and adjacent parts of the Alborz mountain range.

AM