TEHRAN – A delegation of top travel marketers and tour operators from Italy have visited the historical structure of Gorgan, the capital of Golestan Province in northern Iran.

Ways to deepen bilateral ties in tourism were discussed during a meeting held on the sidelines of the visit on Saturday.

The cultural heritage of each nation should be preserved and pass on to the next generations, said Stefano d’Santos, a manager of an Italian tourism company.

“If tourism is directed in the right direction and traditions and customs are taken into account in this direction, the cultural heritage could be preserved more properly.”

Iranian provincial tourism chief Ahmad Tajari, for his part, mentioned that as one of the features of Golestan province is the presence of different ethnic groups together while preserving their originality and traditions, this province, which is known as little Iran, could host tourists of all tastes in the field of ecotourism.

Referring to the rich historical background of the province, he also noted that Iranian provinces hold the potential to attract more foreign tourists.

Golestan is reportedly embracing some 2,500 historical and natural sites, with UNESCO-registered Gonbad-e Qabus – a one-millennium-old brick tower – amongst its most famous.

Narratives say the tower has influenced various subsequent designers of tomb towers and other cylindrical commemorative structures both in the region and beyond. The UNESCO comments that the tower bears testimony to the cultural exchange between Central Asian nomads and the ancient civilization of Iran.

ABU/MG