A pilot visa waiver scheme has been launched for travelers entering the country via Arvand Free Zone, located at the confluence of Karun and Arvand rivers in the southwestern Khuzestan Province.
During a ceremony held early this week in Khorramshahr's Chamber of Commerce, Esmaeil Zamani, the head of AFZ Organization, said the new travel rule, which is common for free zones worldwide, is definitely a promotive measure for attracting more foreign tourists.
"Only four days since the plan's enactment, a noticeable number of 4,500 foreign visitors have entered the free zone," ISNA quoted the official as saying.
Addressing the Supreme Council of Free Trade and Special Economic Zones, the official expressed readiness to hold international seminars and events, under the newly established visa rule.
"The abolition of visa requirements in the area will ease the process of investment in AFZ," he said.
Also, foreign visitors will be allowed to enter via Shalamcheh border by car as of Feb. 11, 2018.
A town located northwest of Abadan in Khuzestan Province, Shalamcheh borders Iraq.
According to Zamani, visa-free travel to AFZ is to be secured by Iranian Security Police and tourism police stations established along the border.
"Equipping a major part of Khuzestan Province with road signs in three languages (Persian, Arabic and English), installing boards bearing information about tourist spots and attractions across the free zone and preparing new English-language maps have been planned," he added.
Tourism authorities are discussing the launch of healthcare units and clinics with the latest medical technology to boost health tourism.
"Tax exemption, visa-free entrance and exemption from domestic labor laws help prepare the grounds for development of free zones," he said.
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