TEHRAN ––It is important for the Persian Gulf island of Abu Musa, southern Hormozgan province, to develop ecotourism in order to prosper as a tourist destination, an official with the tourism ministry has said.

To achieve economic prosperity and earn income for the residents and natives of the island, the tourism industry needs to be developed and there needs to be an increase in accommodation centers and eco-lodge units, Javad Vahedi explained on Saturday.

Abu Musa Island has an excellent capacity to attract domestic and foreign tourists due to its beauty and unique location, the official added.

In this regard, the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts is determined to strengthen the maritime tourism, food tourism, ecotourism, as well as handicrafts sector on the island, he mentioned.

With an area of 12.8 square kilometers, Abu Musa Island enjoys a warm and humid climate as well as a variety of plants and marine life.

The Abu Musa, along with two other Iranian islands of Greater and Lesser Tunb, sit near important oil shipping channels at the mouth of the strategic Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf.

Bordering the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman on the south and bounded by Bushehr and Fars provinces on the west and northwest, Kerman on the east and northeast, and Sistan-Baluchestan on the southeast, Hormozgan is widely renowned for having incredible culture and heritage, stunning sceneries, and above all its warm and hospitable people.

It embraces arrays of islands among which Kish, Hormuz, Hengam, and Qeshm are the most popular ones and top tourist destinations in the southernmost parts of the country.

Over the past couple of decades, the coral Kish Island has become a beach resort where visitors can swim, shop, and sample a laid-back and relatively liberated local lifestyle. It is home to free-trade-zone status, with ever-growing hotels, shopping centers, apartment blocks, and retail complexes.

Hormuz, which is mostly barren and hilly, is situated some eight kilometers off the coast of the Strait of Hormuz, which attracts many tourists through its colorful mountains, silver sand shores, and great local people.

Hengam Island has scenery on rocky shores, serene sunsets, and kind natives, which can attract travelers who enjoy a relaxing trip by spending time on this tranquil island.

Qeshm Island is heaven for eco-tourists as it embraces wide-ranging attractions such as the Hara marine forests and about 60 villages dotted mostly across its rocky coastlines. The island also features geologically eye-catching canyons, hills, caves, and valleys, most of which are protected as part of the UNESCO-tagged Qeshm Island Geopark, itself a haven for nature lovers.

ABU/AM