TEHRAN – Ardabil province will present 110 identified tourism investment opportunities at an international forum scheduled to be held in Iran’s northwestern province, the province’s tourism director announced on Thursday.
Jalil Jabari, director of the Ardabil Department of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts, told reporters that an introduction opportunity to potential investors is being prepared ahead of the international investment forum.
He said that Ardabil’s natural, historical and cultural assets, such as Mount Sabalan, mineral springs, UNESCO-listed Sheikh Safi al-Din Khanega and its historic monuments such as the temple complex, local customs, tourist model zones and target villages, make tourism one of the province’s main development pillars.
Jabari said Ardabil receives about 6 million tourists a year and has more than 15,000 accommodation beds, making it one of the country’s main tourist hubs. He further emphasized that the state’s development policy defines tourism as a foundation for sustainable growth.
The official said the ministry, in collaboration with other organizations and through the Tourism Expert Committee, had identified 110 clear investment opportunities and around 24 projects with special potential for presentation at the forum.
Jabari said the project would include a hotel, a recreation and accommodation complex, a hydrotherapy center, an apartment hotel and an ecolodge. He said the necessary permits have been obtained from government agencies, including utility companies such as gas, electricity and telecommunications companies, and the project is ready for investor participation.
Jabari said successful investment cases in the state will also be showcased at a side exhibition to help investors assess the environment. An investment advisory desk will answer your legal, tax, and technical questions, and a specialized tourism conference will introduce you to unnamed opportunities and legal incentives.
Elsewhere in his remarks, the official said eight state-run tourism holding companies have so far expressed readiness to implement projects worth about 200 trillion rials ($200 million) in the state, including five-star hotels, wellness villages, tourist complexes and inbound tour programs. He added that several projects will be launched or formal cooperation agreements will be signed during the forum.
Jabari said between 350 and 400 trillion rials ($350 million to $400 million) have already been invested in tourism projects in Ardabil, with progress rates ranging from 20% to 70% in some cases. He said 90 projects are currently underway, providing an estimated 4,000 direct and indirect jobs.
The official also emphasized that rising investor demand reflects confidence in the sector’s prospects. He added that state authorities and service agencies are stepping up support to expand domestic and foreign tourism investment.
The provincial capital, Ardabil, is located on a plateau at an altitude of 1,400 meters above sea level, approximately 61 km from the Caspian Sea and just east of Mount Sabaran in northwestern Iran. The cold wave will continue until late spring.
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