TEHRAN – Iran has adopted a new strategy to expand marine tourism along its southern coastline, focusing on a tourism corridor stretching from Makran to Abadan, Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Seyyed Reza Salehi-Amiri said on Saturday.

Speaking at a policy council meeting for a national creative industries event, Salehi-Amiri said the provinces of Hormozgan, Bushehr and Khuzestan would form a new strategic tourism belt under the initiative, aimed at making the best use of their cultural, historical and social assets to promote tourism and creative industries.
The minister underlined that marine tourism development had become a priority within the government's broader economic planning, noting that Iran's extensive maritime resources provide significant opportunities for growth.
With 190,000 square kilometers of sea area and 5,800 kilometers of coastline, Iran is a maritime country where marine economic development should be an integral part of the national economic development strategy. In that regard, the minister noted that many countries have incorporated tourism into economic strategies for coastal regions, making it a key component of maritime development.
He made the remarks while outlining the government's approach to strengthening creative industries, which he described as an increasingly important sector in the global economy.
Salehi-Amiri said creative industries have become major sources of employment, productivity growth and exports in many developed and emerging economies. “The country does not lack plans or policy documents in this field,” Salehi-Amiri said. “What is needed is a national commitment to coordinated action and effective support.”

The minister added that the concept of creative industries had evolved from traditional cultural industries as technological advances and knowledge-based economic models placed innovation and intellectual capital at the center of value creation.

He then cited handicrafts as a clear example of creative industries, saying the sector combines artistic skills, cultural expression and economic activity. Similar characteristics can be found in music, cinema, video games, toys and other cultural sectors, where value is generated primarily through creativity and innovation.

Salehi-Amiri said Iran should move beyond planning and focus on implementation through supportive policies and executive mechanisms. He called creative industries a developing ecosystem that requires sustained support to achieve economic maturity and international competitiveness.

As mentioned by the minister, measures such as low-interest financing, financial incentives, legal protections, marketing support and infrastructure development are necessary to help the sector expand. He said targeted support may be needed for up to a decade before creative industries can establish sustainable profitability and strengthen their presence in international markets.

Salehi-Amiri announced that the city of Isfahan will host the first national creative industries event. He said the city's cultural heritage, handicrafts sector and tourism assets make it a suitable location for launching the initiative.

He added that other provinces also possess distinct cultural and creative capacities, citing Golestan province, Kordestan province and Hormozgan province as examples of regions with strong potential for creative economy development based on local culture and heritage.
AM