Tehran – A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) has been signed between the Secretariat of the Supreme Council of Freedom and Economic Zones and the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts with the aim of developing the tourism industry, protecting cultural heritage and enhancing handicrafts in the Freedom Zone.
Tourism Minister Reza Reza Salehi Amiri, held in front of the secretary of the High Council of Reza Masrour of Free Zones, at the ceremony to sign the mu, said the free zone could be transformed into Iran and one of the world’s major tourism hubs.
He added that achieving this goal requires coordination, convergence and formation of joint cooperation.
He said that the three main axes of cooperation between the two agencies are: The first said that it will utilize its national and international capabilities and membership in the official tourism organizations and the free zone, and second, will introduce Iranian attractions at a global level through the production of multilingual content, and publications at a world level through the production of international media, airlines and high profile networks, and third intscive intecive furniture fight intecive furniture force conding forcive intecive inteming competitions fored forfile networks. Hotels and coastal and marine facilities are required.
The Minister continued, based on the report, that Kish Free Zone currently has 50 active hotels. There are also 50 hotel projects under construction, he added.
This ability could turn Kish Island into Iran’s third tourist destination after Tehran and Mashhad, he said, adding that travel chains and combined tours between the city and the Free Zone could play an important role in introducing Iran to foreign tourists.
He also announced plans to hold an international conference on investment in free zones, highlighting that the event will be a good opportunity to present investment packages to domestic and foreign investors.
Meanwhile, Reza Masrour said that although the free zone was initially formed with a commercial and industrial approach, tourism today has become a major priority in many of them, and that Iran has valuable capabilities in this sector.
To point to the new policy of the investment sector and remove the restrictions on the free zone, he said: “In the past, some of the attractions of free zone investments have declined, but now they are recovering these benefits along with the development of the Free Zone Development Document and amendments to the law. The current figure for this quota is $420 million, which should increase with the demand for people and tourists.”
Masrour listed the development of investment incentives as another priority, saying that while the new incentives have been notified in the form of instructions to all free zones, more facilities need to be provided in some areas, such as issuing construction permits. The issue will be pursued, he added, in particular in tourist spots such as Kish.
He also emphasized the need to promote marine tourism in the free zone, adding: “In the northern part of the country, there is a possibility that a marina will be created in the Port of Caspia, which could lead to the launch of a recreational transport line.
Masrour reiterates the importance of hosting international exhibitions and events, adding that Kish International Exhibition has a good ability to introduce tourism opportunities in the free zone, and the platform should be used to attract investors.
He emphasized that the Free Zone has extensive capabilities for cooperation with the Ministry of Cultural Heritage. “From health tourism at ARVAND to the development of marine tourism in the north and south, these capabilities could all be a national strength through the synergy of the two organizations. We hope that the implementation of this memorandum will provide the basis for achieving these goals.”
It is worth noting that this mu was drafted with nine clauses and was signed by Masroh and Salehiamiri.
KD