TEHRAN – Tourism in the Persian Gulf island of Kish, southern Iran, needs to be promoted to Russians, the deputy tourism minister has said.

As one of Iran’s top tourist markets is Russia, it is important to introduce Kish as a tourism destination to Russian travelers, IRNA quoted Ali-Asghar Shalbafian as saying on Thursday.

In this regard, it is necessary to make programs and provide content about Kish to develop tourism relations, the official added.

In addition, Kish tourism activists should attend B2B meetings that are held monthly in the region to introduce and promote the Persian Gulf island as a tourist destination, he noted.

Earlier in September, tourism insiders and officials from the two countries exchanged views on education, hotel management, holding joint exhibitions, and introducing tours and investments, among other issues.

Furthermore, they discussed prospects of a possible visa waiver for tourist groups, based on an agreement that former Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin inked in 2017.

Last year, an Iranian travel expert said many Russian tourists were eager to travel to Iran. “Many [potential] Russian travelers are motivated to visit novel and lesser-known destinations such as Iran that could be a safe and attractive destination,” said Mostafa Sarvari, who presided over the tourism marketing and advertising office of the Iranian Tour Operators Association.

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.

ABU/AM