TEHRAN – Kermanshah’s tourism department is to intensify its sustained efforts devoted to promoting rural tourism across the western Iranian province.

Kermanshah’s tourism directorate is organizing a chain of festivals and events to help promote rural tourism based on a local calendar dedicated to its farm products, the Young Journalists Club quoted the provincial tourism chief as saying on Friday.

“In this regard, we have developed a calendar of tourism events, especially in the field of rural tourism,” Dariush Farmani said.

Since some agricultural products of the province such as sunflower seeds, grapes, apples, and peas are now well-known brands in the country, we have prepared various tourism events concerning those products in this calendar, the official said.

The campaign is expected to bring together more visitors to areas that often rely on agriculture and with low populations, such as villages and cottages, homestays, farms, and ranches or eco-lodges, the report said.

Nowadays, an increasing number of travelers are looking for something different, such as spending a day in the tranquil countryside, picking fresh fruits, watching rice grow, fishing by the seaside, eating traditional dishes or even staying with locals.

The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) sees rural tourism as a type of activity in which the visitor’s experience is related to a wide range of products generally linked to nature-based activities, agriculture, rural lifestyle, culture, angling, and sightseeing. Such tourism also possesses characteristics such as low population density, a landscape dominated by agriculture and forestry, as well as traditional social structure and lifestyle.

The UN body aims to turn the spotlight on the “uniqueness” of each village to make tourism a means for further development in rural areas. “We want to recognize the uniqueness of each village and showcase the best initiatives to make tourism a means for a better future in rural areas. As we restart tourism, we work to ensure that we leave no one - and no village- behind,” according to UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili.

Having a very diverse natural setting, Iran offers varied excursions to nature lovers. Sightseers may live with a nomad or rural family or enjoy an independent stay. The country is home to abundant historical mansions, caravanserais, bathhouses, madrasas, and other massive monuments, which can buttress its budding tourism and hospitality sectors if managed appropriately and refurbished properly.

AFM