Tehran – The implementation of 46 tourism projects in the south-eastern Iranian province of Sistan-Balochistan will create a total of 212 employment opportunities.

The aforementioned projects, 15 of which are carried out by the private sector, could result in sustainable employment once they are up and running, said the province’s deputy tourism chief.

Projects running in the north of the province include accommodation centers such as hotels and eco-lodge units, as well as several tourist complexes, the official added.

As the northern part of the province, Sistan, is home to several historical sites and tourist attractions, the development of tourist infrastructure is one of the priorities of the province’s cultural heritage, tourism and handicrafts department, Mojtaba Mirhosseini announced on Sunday.

Earlier this month, the province’s tourism director, Alireza Jalalzaei, announced that the province had lost 1,440 billion rials ($ 34.2 million at an official exchange rate of 42,000 rials per dollar) in tourism revenue as many potential visitors stay away due to the effects of the coronavirus.

The official found that Sistan-Baluchestan is targeted [a significant] The development of tourism and its travel infrastructure have expanded dramatically in recent years.

He also pointed to various tourism campaigns launched in recent years, adding that the “Let’s see Sistan, let’s hear Balochestan” campaign had a tangible impact on the province’s tourism growth, mainly through online programs.

Last year, Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Crafts, Ali-Asghar Mounesan, said that the development of the travel industry in Sistan-Balochistan Province is one of the ministry’s top priorities.

“I am interested in Sistan-Balochistan and the development of this province is a priority for this ministry and the government,” said the minister.

“Most of my travels during my tenure were to Sistan-Balochistan, which I consider to be a safe province with significant values ​​in terms of culture, history, handicrafts and tourism.”

The collective province – Sistan in the north and Balochistan in the south – is one of the driest regions of Iran, with a slight increase in rainfall from east to west and an apparent increase in humidity in the coastal regions. In ancient times, the region was a crossword puzzle of the Indus Valley and the Babylonian civilizations.

The province is of particular importance as it is located in a strategic and transit location, especially in Chabahar, the only seaport in Iran and the best and easiest access to open waters of the Central Asian countries.

The vast province is home to several distinctive archaeological sites and natural attractions, including two UNESCO World Heritage Sites, namely Shahr-e-Soukhteh (burned city) and the Lut desert.

ABU / AFM