Iran should explore the potentials of the vast seas to promote marine and coastal tourism, said Hamid Soleimani-Maqam, a senior official of Iran’s Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization (ICHHTO).
“Marine tourism could thrive through public participation and private investment,” he said, IRNA reported.
“It is not difficult to earn money from the sea and the coast. For example, a shipwreck or an old castaway boat 150 meters away from the coast can be turned into a marine restaurant.”
Watch Officer Seyyed Mohammad Miri, who has graduated from Kharg Marine Science University, said he is passionate about the sea. He and his family live in Ramsar, Mazandaran Province so he can be close to the sea.
He dreams of becoming a captain in the future, but knows he will have to work his way up to that rank as it takes 15 years for a new graduate to become a captain.
Miri said Kharg Island is warm and its potable water is secured via water purification and desalination systems. “It is painful for me to see that an Iranian ship with Iranian staff is commanded by a foreign captain from Europe, India or Pakistan,” he said.
There is a proverb that says, “His heart is like the sea.” It means just like a sea, the person is patient and confronts misfortune and misconduct with patience and understanding.
The sea’s vastness inspires one to take a leap of faith and to “take a plunge”. Working on a ship for several months with individuals from different cultures and backgrounds, makes one patient and understanding.
Being on board a ship has some problems too such as becoming seasick. “When I started my job at sea, I lost 10 kilos. At first falling asleep took some getting used to as well. Now I am so accustomed to living on board that I can eat comfortably notwithstanding the motion,” he said.
There is of late a good deal of interest from investors to capitalize on the potentials of the Iranian coast for tourism. An expansion in tourism opportunities of the coastal areas would also generate jobs and help develop sea-side towns and villages.
