According to the Public Relations and International Affairs Department of Kish Free Zone Organization, Mahdi Keshavarz, the Chairman and CEO of Kish Free Zone Organization, attended the opening ceremony of the first edition of "Cultural Tourism Expo" on the evening of Monday, September 5, and announced the creation of an international tourism hub on Kish Island.

"We are trying to remove the word "low season" from Kish tourism literature by using new marketing and tourism advertising tools," Keshavarz stated, adding that facilitating investment by private sector stakeholders would lead to recreational and tourism infrastructure development

Keshavarz also conveyed the local authorities' intention to start flight operations between Kish and the capitals of various countries, including the ECO Member States, the Persian Gulf region, and Asian countries, to develop relations through signing and implementing sister city agreements with other tourism destinations. He also underscored that strengthening scientific tourism and establishing branches of the national and international universities on Kish Island will transform it into a regional scientific and research center.

Mahdi Keshavarz listed the strengthening of scientific tourism through establishing representatives of prestigious national and international universities and the transformation of Kish Island into a scientific research hub in the region as one of the distinct capacities of this region. He added that the development of the brand of Kish Island and the title of a top tourist destination based on the concept of halal tourism among target countries, especially Muslim countries, is one of Kish Free Zone Organization's priorities.

"Benefiting from natural beauty and attractions, Kish Island has established its position as a top tourist destination and a pilot for holding prestigious national and international events and exhibitions.", he concluded.

It should be noted that representatives from "Iran, Tajikistan, Turkey, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Japan" as well as Mahdi Hosseinzadeh, deputy director of Culture, Social Affairs and Tourism of the Supreme Council of Free Zones, Mohadeseh Vahidimehr the CEO of Jarefa Honar Sateen Kish Institute, Mohammad Hossein Imani Khoshkho, Director of Science and Soft Technology Park and Cultural Industries, Khusrav Noziri, Eco Cultural Institute’s Secretary General, Hajar Chenarani, the representative of the people of Neishabur and Firuzeh in the Islamic Parliament, Maryam Jalali Dehkordi, Deputy Minister of Handicrafts of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Tourism, were present.

PR & Int'l Affairs Department- KFZO