Iran’s first-ever ecotourism project is set to pilot in Jannat Roudbar Village in Ramsar County, Mazandaran Province, director general of Iran’s National Ecotourism Committee said.
Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, Mohammad Ali Fayyazi also said ecotourism helps empower local communities and revitalize the economy, IRNA reported.
“Such plans will reinforce rural tourism, which is severely underdeveloped in Iran,” he said, adding that the plan is expected to revive local rituals and traditions.
The official said by empowering rural populations, villagers are less inclined to migrate to metropolises in search of jobs, which has begun to take a toll on Iran’s major cities, including Tehran and Isfahan.
Recalling the history of ecotourism, Fayyazi said ecotourism projects help protect traditional architecture and the environment.
He urged provincial officials and local authorities to cooperate in developing ecotourism in Jannat Roudbar.
Fayyazi referred to government plans to allocate funds to 500 villages to develop tourism infrastructure, adding that most of those villages are located in Mazandaran Province.
In a sign of intergovernmental cooperation, Fayyazi said his committee has reached an agreement with the Ministry of Information and Communications Technology to repurpose five ICT offices in every province to tourist information offices.
