The historical Hamedan Province has hosted a substantial number of visitors during the first four months of the current Iranian year which began on March 21, a senior official at Iran's Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization said.
According to Ali Khaksar, deputy head of provincial ICHHTO, during the period over two million people visited the tourist hub, of which some 4,300 were foreign travelers, ISNA reported.
The figure is based on the number of entry tickets sold in the province's attraction sites. "Since not all the tourist attractions in the province need a ticket to visit, such as the ancient Ganjnameh, the figure is only a rough estimate," the official said, adding that the number of visitors has definitely been more than what has been announced. The most popular places for tourists were Ali-Sadr Cave, the world's largest water cave and the Mausoleum of Avicenna (Persian polymath living in 980-1037), a complex located at Avicenna Square, the official added.
Pointing to the fact that up to 80% of the province's lodging capacity, which is majorly comprised of private hotels and guesthouses, was occupied, the official introduced four more places which offer decent accommodation for travelers.
"Namaz, Iranian and Eram lodging spaces and Hamedan's main guesthouse offer furnished and equipped rooms that are completely suitable for the travelers who intend to stay for a few days," Khaksar added.
Optimistically speaking, the official hoped that Hamedan will be making headway toward achieving tourism goals and the province's hosting of international events will contribute to boosting the industry in the region. Hamedan has been selected as the capital of Asian Cooperation Dialogue countries and is to host the meeting of affiliate members of the UN World Tourism Organization later this year, which present a great opportunity for the province to promote its attractions worldwide and enhance its tourism sector.
Home to 1,800 historical sites, Hamedan Province is known as the country's capital of history and civilization.
Ganjnameh (an ancient inscription), tombs of famous figures such as Avicenna and Baba Taher, ancient bath-houses, caravanserais, historical houses and churches are among attractions of the province.
