TEHRAN – With over 1,800 historical monuments, unique natural attractions, and an excellent geopolitical location, Ardabil Governorate is on track to become Iran’s premier hub for health, winter, and nature-based tourism.
Announcing this, Ardabil Governor Masoud Emami Yeganeh emphasized the strategic position of this northwestern province in the country’s tourism development, reported Miras Alia (CHTN).
Speaking at the 24th meeting of the Strategic Council of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts held on Monday in the presence of Minister of Cultural Heritage Seyed Reza Salehi-Amiri, he said that Ardabil is one of the most important tourist destinations in the country, hosting more than 5 million domestic tourists annually.
Commenting on the province’s geopolitically advantageous location, Emami Yeganeh said, “Ardabil is the gateway to the Caucasus and the geopolitical link between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the region. This characteristic, combined with the diversity of the climate from the Moghan plains to the slopes of Sabaran, has paved the way for the formation of a health, nature and winter tourism axis.”
He added that Ardabil, with 110 hot springs and mineral springs, is one of the country’s main destinations for medical tourism. He noted that the creation of a special health tourism zone centered on Sarein County is on the agenda, and negotiations with investment holdings in the region have reached the final stage.
Announcing the development of winter tourism on the slopes of Sabalan, Emami Yegane said: “An investment of 230 billion rials ($230,000) has been made in the two active ski resorts in the Alvarez region and the Sabalan tourist complex.”
This infrastructure is the basis for hosting national and international winter sports competitions, and the Sarrein Winter Festival is organized in cooperation with the Ministry of Sports and Youth.
Noting the outstanding status of handicrafts in the state, he said Ardabil is one of the national handicraft hubs. The Sabaran carpet and Ardabil pottery brands are attracting attention from all over the world.
The Governor added that the creation of a permanent bazaar, the launch of a comprehensive entrepreneurship center and the holding of an international handicrafts exhibition are on the agenda and will be implemented with the support of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage.
Referring to the province’s cross-border capabilities, he said that during the recent visit of the President of Azerbaijan, it was agreed by both countries to establish a joint tourism committee between Iran and Azerbaijan.
As a cultural contact point between the two countries, Ardabil is ready to host international conferences such as the ECO Silk Road Task Force and the D8 Summit, he added.
Emami Yegane said 90 investment projects worth more than R350 trillion ($350 million) are currently being implemented, creating 3,500 jobs.
A total of 24 tourism infrastructure projects with a financial requirement of approximately 600 billion rials ($600,000) are also underway, with the ministry and provinces expected to participate in providing financial resources.
He emphasized the importance of infrastructure, saying the Ardabil-Miane railway project, one of the country’s national strategic projects, is scheduled to be operational by the end of this year with an allocation of 250 trillion rials ($250 million).
He added that developing transport axes, rural roads for tourism and increasing domestic flights were also priorities for the state government.
The governor announced the opening of an Ardabil-based airline in the coming months, adding that it was on the agenda to launch flights from Ardabil to Kish, Parsabad and other domestic destinations to strengthen air tourism links in the province.
KD