TEHRAN - The private sector has invested 180 billion rials (about $4.3 million at the official rate of 42,000 rials) in the tourism sector of Chaharmahal-Bakhtiari province during the first nine months of the current Iranian calendar year (started in March 2020).

This investment flow created 170 tourism-related jobs across the [lesser-known] province, provincial tourism chief Mehrdad Javadi announced on Sunday. 

The official added that some 240 billion rials ($5.7 million) were invested in the province’s tourism industry by the private sector in the past [Iranian] year, which helped to generate 197 jobs. 

Last November, the official announced that ten tourism-related projects, running by the private sector, are underway across the province and emphasized that the presence of private investors is a need for tourism development in the province. 

“A tourist village, a hotel, sports complexes, accommodation and hospitality units, eco-tourism residences, and a museum constitute the development projects which are estimated to worth 5,727,800 billion rials (about $136 million), of which 654.8 billion rials (about $15 million) has been spent so far,” the official noted.

“A minimum of 528 job opportunities will be directly generated when the cited project is fully implemented,” he said, adding that it adds at least 306 suites and rooms with 716 beds to the hospitality sector of the province.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, also in November said that Chaharmahal-Bakhtiari, which is currently an under-the-radar destination, has [enormous] potential to become the biggest tourism hub of the country.

Chaharmahal-Bakhtiari has various unique traditions and rituals relative to the 'tribal' lifestyles. Special forms of music, dance, and clothing are noteworthy. It has considerable potential to become a vibrant tourist attraction because of its changing natural landscape. The province is also a hub for making wool felt products, majorly of which exported abroad. It is home to some 500 crafters, in over 250 workshops, making handmade felt products.

Currently, about 40 tons of felt are yearly being made in Chaharmahal-Bakhtiari through traditional and modern manners, which could be increased to 50 tons, according to official data. Experts believe that Shahr-e Kord has the potential to be a world city for felt products.

ABU/AFM