TEHRAN— Domestic travelers made over 2.5 million overnight stays in official accommodation centers across Gilan province during a two-day holiday declared by the Iranian government as soaring temperatures swept across the county on Wednesday and Thursday.

“Some 2.4 million travelers arrived in Mazandaran province due to a two-day holiday,” the provincial tourism chief said on Friday.

2,550,000 overnight stays have been recorded during the past 48 hours at authorized accommodation centers such as hotels, traditional lodging houses, apartment hotels, and guest houses of the province, Vali Jahani said.

On Tuesday, Iran declared a two-day holiday for government and non-government workers and banks nationwide on Wednesday and Thursday as soaring temperatures sweep across the country.

The decision came after the meteorological office forecasted temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius in many cities and hovering around 50 degrees Celsius in the southwest.

According to Jahani, tourist arrivals in the northern province during spring jumped 65 percent from a year earlier to around 18 million mainly due to the removal of COVID restrictions once imposed to contain the spread of the coronavirus. “Some 18 million passengers arrived in Gilan during the first three months of the [current Iranian calendar] year.”

Some 22 million overnight stays have been registered in official accommodation centers of the province during the three months, the official said.

In 2019, Gilan was selected as the first province to start the country’s comprehensive tourism plan, which is being developed under the auspices of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). The comprehensive plan is aimed at serving as a roadmap to guide tourists from all over the globe to achieve a sustainable and competitive tourism market.

The lush green province, which is bounded by the Caspian Sea, is a historically and culturally rich region that offers visitors a diverse range of experiences. With its mild climate, lush greenery, majestic mountains, and stunning coastline, Gilan is becoming an increasingly popular tourist destination in northern Iran.

The province is also known for its beautiful natural scenery and exotic wildlife. The stunning waterfront of the Anzali lagoon, the majestic Talesh mountains, and the verdant rice paddies are just a few of the natural wonders that attract visitors to the region.

It offers plenty of activities for tourists. Hiking and trekking in the mountains, birdwatching in the lagoons, camping near the waterfalls and rivers, and sightseeing in the beautiful natural scenery are all popular activities for visitors. Rasht, the provincial capital, 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 provides visitors with various accommodation options, including hotels, guesthouses, and traditional houses that have been converted into accommodations for tourists. The province is easily accessible by land, sea, and air. The Rasht international airport provides direct flights to major cities in Iran.

AFM