TEHRAN—Kermanshah Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts Department has invited 13 Iraqi travel agencies to the western province in an effort to attract tourists from the neighboring country and exploit the investment potential in the tourism industry.

The measure is in line with familiarizing these agencies with Kermanshah's natural and historical attractions, as well as health tourism opportunities, Miras Arya (CHTN) reported.

In a coordination meeting of related agencies to host managers of Iraqi tourism agencies on Wednesday,  Dariush Farmani, head of Kermanshah Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Department, pointed out that in order to benefit from the unique tourism capacity of Kermanshah province and with the aim of attracting tourists from Iraq and developing international tourism,  Kermanshah Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Department has officially invited 13 travel and tourism agencies from Iraq.

He stated that his invitation was made especially to agencies that operate in the Arab regions of Iraq, because these regions have not paid sufficient attention to the tourism capacities of Kermanshah.

The invited agencies will have the opportunity to get up close and personal with historical tourism attractions such as ancient monuments and registered monuments, extensive natural attractions, as well as the province's health tourism facilities.

Farmani continued that these visits are a good opportunity for representatives of these agencies to get acquainted with accommodation facilities, hotels, hospitals, and medical infrastructure in Kermanshah, and to prepare the ground for attracting Iraqi tourists for combined health and leisure tourism tours."

He said that during this program, several meetings will be held between travel agencies, hoteliers, and medical centers in the province to discuss and exchange experiences, organize diverse tourism tours, and expand joint cooperation.

Farmani added that memoranda of understanding will also be signed between two parties to develop cooperation and facilitate the process of attracting tourists.

He also said that the measure will be an effective step towards developing foreign tourism, economic prosperity of the province, and strengthening cultural and economic relations between Kermanshah province and Arab regions of Iraq. 

The targeted use of this capacity can play an important role in introducing Kermanshah's unique attractions and increasing tourism-related income, he pointed out.

Kermanshah, formerly Bakhtaran, the capital of Kermanshah province, was founded in the 4th century CE by Bahram IV of the Sasanian dynasty. Conquered by the Arabs in 640, the town was called Qirmasin (Qirmashin). Under the Seljuk rule in the 11th century, it was the chief town of Kordestan. The Safavids (ruled 1501–1736) fortified the town, and the Qajars repulsed an attack by the Turks during Fath Ali Shah’s rule (1797–1834). Occupied by the Turkish army in 1915 during World War I, it was evacuated in 1917. The construction of a road in the 1950s over the age-old Khorasan track added considerably to the importance of the city.

KD