TEHRAN – The tourism authorities of Kish seek to develop travel amenities across the coral island of the Persian Gulf, the managing director of the Kish Free Zone Organization has said.

Developing Kish’s tourism industry requires attention to all its sectors and potentials, and coral beaches represent one of the island’s most important investment opportunities, IRNA quoted Mehdi Keshavarz as saying on Saturday.

Beach clubs, restaurants, hotels, and sea entertainment have been built on the beaches of Kish over the years, but this year a plan is being developed to organize the beaches, the official added.

About 300 cultural, economic, environmental, natural, and social investment opportunities are presented in this plan based on Iranian culture, he noted.

The plan is expected to channel 90 billion rials ($300,000) in investment into the tourism sector of the island, he explained.

Earlier last week, the official said that it was necessary to disengage from mass tourism in order to accomplish the development of Kish.

For Kish’s tourism industry to flourish and grow, the development of the tourism industry must be emphasized and it must be distanced from mass tourism as much as possible, he explained.

The private sector has a vital role in boosting tourism on the island, he added.

However, Kish Island has had some setbacks over the past few years, and the development process has not been balanced for many years, which requires effort non-stop from all the related organizations to make up for it, he mentioned.

Last month, the official announced that a comprehensive tourist map of the island, including 81 initial investment opportunities, was prepared.

Some 16 tourism sectors have been included in this map to promote sustainable tourism development on the island, the official added.

By attracting private sector investors, this map is expected to become the starting point of sustainable tourism development on the island in the next few years, he explained.

By focusing on tourism and financial trade, Kish can contribute more to economic prosperity in the long run, he noted.

Amongst the Persian Gulf islands, Kish is the more luxurious and developed. Except for its unique nature, such as its waters and shallow beaches, the tourist attractions of this charming island are due to its rich historical background as well as its kind and hospitable people.

The pristine and beautiful nature, the meeting of land and sea, the clear sky, the pleasant air, and the pleasurable reverberation of the waves create such a sense of calm that one cannot even distinguish between imagination and reality.

Nowadays, about one million foreign and domestic tourists travel to the island every year and it is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Iran as it has magnificent attractions such as Kariz Underground City, Harireh Ancient City, Marjan Beach, Bird Garden, Ocean theme park, and Grand Recreational Pier.

Coastal and maritime tourism

Over the past couple of years, the Islamic Republic has made various efforts to exploit maritime tourism potential by developing hospitality infrastructures, diversifying sea routes, and drawing private sector investors along its vast southern coasts.

Prosperous maritime tourism could help the country to meet its ambitious target of attracting 20 million annual tourists by 2025. It also keeps an eye on tourism developments in the Caspian Sea in the north.

Back in February, the Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Transport and Urban Development signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to develop maritime tourism and make the best use of its potential on the southern and northern coasts of the country.

Promoting the culture of using the sea as a tool to increase social vitality, developing coastal activities in the form of environmentally friendly plans and programs, and creating the necessary grounds for cooperation and exchange of knowledge and information was also among the topics of the agreement.

ABU/AM