TEHRAN ––A passenger ship is scheduled to dock in Ramsar port in the northern province of Mazandaran, the province’s governor-general has said.

Mazandaran had no passenger ships for years, but the southern coasts of the Caspian Sea will receive its first ship and sea bus next week, ISNA quoted Seyyed Mahmoud Hosseinipur explained on Thursday.

Mazandaran receives 200,000 foreign tourists every year, which could be increased due to its unique tourism potential, he added.

Back in November, a cruise ship docked in the province’s Noshahr port for the first time.

The provincial tourism chief announced that the privately owned two-deck ship will be made available to tourists for the upcoming Iranian new year holiday (starting in March 2023) after Mazandaran province’s coastal area is equipped.

The docking of cruise ships in these coastal areas could boost maritime tourism and develop tourism infrastructure, he mentioned.

Back in August, the tourism minister Ezzatollah Zarghami announced that there would be an acceleration in the development of maritime tourism.

Fuel subsidies will be allocated to cruise ships, which will lead to a reduction in sea travel costs and a rise in maritime tourism, the minister said.

With this subsidy, fuel consumption for a cruise with 1,000 passengers will be reduced from 600 billion rials ($2 million) to 500 million rials ($1,700), he explained.

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 were also among the topics of the agreement.

ABU/AM