According to a report from the Public Relations and International Affairs Department of the Kish Free Zone Organization, the Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts, during his visit to Kish Island, also inspected Hendurabi Island and five new recreational and residential projects in this free zone. He noted that Iran's platform for growth and development is currently very active, and we are witnessing construction and development across various parts of the country. "We also see the presence of many investors in Kish Island," he added.
In the realm of hotels, especially with regards to five-star and four-star operations, Kish ranks just behind Mashhad. Salehi Amiri emphasized, "Kish Island is on the path to a significant leap forward. With the new management capacity in Kish, this visit was planned to meet and discuss with investors in this free zone."
During these visits, they inspected various recreational and hotel complexes, including Panorama Plus Hotel, which has a good reputation due to the presence of well-known and active investors. This hotel operates in Mashhad as well, with personal credit and without government assistance. Other projects visited included the Kish amusement park and hotels like Excelsior, Aria, and Aseman.
The CEO of the Kish Free Zone Organization reported that the financial value of the hotel infrastructure currently under construction in Kish is approximately 50 billion tomans, which is a substantial figure.
Regarding Hendurabi Island, Salehi Amiri noted, "The islands in the Persian Gulf are dear to all Iranians. Good initiatives have started in Abu Musa, and in Hendurabi, which is considered a valuable asset for Kish, there are significant ongoing projects with an investment of around 3 trillion tomans by Mahan Company, promising a bright future for this region."
He further stressed the importance of facilitating the path for investors and removing obstacles, saying, "Our strategy in the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Tourism is to support investors and remove investment barriers."
In response to questions about tourist statistics from the previous year, Salehi Amiri said, "The confirmed number is 6.3 million visitors. We have committed to increasing this to 15 million in our seventh plan, and we are putting all our efforts into it. However, we need infrastructure development in hotels, rail, road, and air transport. Currently, the country is on a development path, and the Ministry of Transport and other relevant institutions are working towards this goal. We currently have 17,000 active accommodation centers in the country."
On making travel packages more affordable, he stated, "It is the government's responsibility to ensure all strata of society can benefit from domestic tourism. All Iranian citizens deserve to enjoy the country's capacities. We are working to provide affordable tourism options for those with less financial means through government and responsible institutions."
Regarding the strengthening of the air fleet, Salehi Amiri acknowledged the challenges, "This is a significant issue for us, discussed weekly in government commissions. We cannot mandate airlines to serve only one location. After Tehran and Mashhad, Kish has the highest flight capacity, which is a very positive aspect. To expand air capacity, we first need to strengthen our approximately 50 domestic airlines in terms of infrastructure and equipment, and our second step is to utilize regional airlines during peak travel times. This idea is under positive consideration and requires decisions from the Supreme Space Council, which we are pursuing. However, we must ensure that the presence of foreign airlines does not weaken our domestic on