TEHRAN—With the investments made and the government's support, Parand and Robat Karim in Tehran province will become the country's important ecotourism hubs and boost rural employment, said Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Reza Salehi-Amiri.

During a trip to the cities of Robat Karim, Parand and Nasir Shahr, he evaluated the results of this visit as positive and energetic, saying that this area is of special importance from a historical and cultural perspective and should be explored and introduced more than ever, IRNA reported.

Visiting the Qajar-era (1789-1925) Haj Kamal Caravanserai and the Sassanid-era Qaleh Sangi (stone caravanserai) of Robat Karim, he said that these valuable works indicate the civilizational and historical status of the southwest region of Tehran, and it is necessary to expand the explorations and research activities in this area.

Referring to the privileged location of this area in the vicinity of Imam Khomeini International Airport, he emphasized the need to introduce the tourism and cultural capacities of Robat Karim to attract domestic and foreign tourists. The development of tourism in this area can play an important role in the economic prosperity of southern Tehran, he added.

The minister also announced the opening of five ecotourism complexes in Parand county, which were built with an investment of about two trillion rials ($2 million), and stated that the main goal of developing ecotourism is to preserve the cultural identity of villages, create sustainable employment, strengthen the handicrafts, and prevent the migration of villagers to the cities.

Emphasizing the importance of preserving traditional architecture, language, music, and local customs, he added that the government has signed a memorandum of understanding with Mostazafan Foundation and the Presidential Office’s Rural Development Department to prepare the grounds for providing the facilities and loans. 

In another part of his speech, he referred to the need to develop tourism and accommodation infrastructure in Robat Karim, saying that given the high capacity of this area, it is planned to see it become a tourism hub in southern Tehran in the near future.

Salehi-Amiri added that Iranian President is particularly sensitive to the development of southern Tehran and is seriously pursuing rail and metro projects to ensure justice in distribution of the facilities.

The minister also mentioned the continuous follow-ups of regional representatives and officials and the cabinet's weekly trips to the cities, and said that supporting the private investors is one of the government's priorities in path of tourism and employment development.

He went on to announce plans to develop the health tourism and remove legal obstacles in this area, and expressed the hope that serious developments in the tourism and health capacities around Tehran would happen in the near future. 

KD