Construction work for country's largest tourism complex in the south of Iran, the Persian Gulf Star Tourism Complex, began on Monday in Shiraz.
Governor of Shiraz, Engineer Samad Raja, said at a ceremony on the occasion, "Shiraz City has a very special and high status from the cultural and tourism points of the view in Iran today and has been at the focus of attention ever since remote past as the country's most important trade hub in the south."
Raja added, "According to many merchants and tradesmen Shiraz is the most secure country in Iran for business transactions." He reiterated, "Appropriate climatic conditions and favorable geographic conditions have turned Shiraz into an extraordinarily appropriate city for tourism and that is the reason why tens of thousands of tourists visit this city each year."
Shiraz governor stressed the need for development of tourism industry in the country, particularly in Shiraz, adding, "The main strategy of Shiraz Municipality is leaving investments on the major part of rural development projects up to the private sector, or the people themselves, so that the government would no longer be the sole investor in city's infrastructure development plans."
He added, "The proper ground is now paved for making broader investments in Shiraz and right now in addition to the $400 million allocated to Persian Gulf Star Tourism Complex in Shiraz, we have two $100 million investment proposals for two other rural development plans in this city."
Pointing out that the major tourism and trade projects in Shiraz are executed by foreign consultant engineers and foreign engineering firms, Raja said, "Let us not worry about leaving such projects in foreign firms' hands, since it provides an opportunity for Iranian forms that cooperate with them to gain up-to-date experience." Raja added, "In near future the city's texture would change with the construction of huge tourism and execration skyscrapers, that would further highlight the city's significance as the country's most important tourism pole."
Main investor and manager of the consultant engineering firm in charge of executive affairs of Persian Gulf Star Tourism Complex Seyed Hossein Hosseini, too, said at the ceremony, "Construction of this complex is in line with policies aimed at further development of tourism industry in southern parts of Iran and in Fars Province." He reiterated, "In order to complete this complex we will invest $310 million, seventy eight percent of which would go to its tourism section."
Hosseini added, "The project would create jobs for eleven thousand people and includes construction of two Persian gardens at a 7.5 hectare land, that would be a pleasant atmosphere at disposal of Shiraz citizens and visitors of this city."
He said, "In four hundred thousand square meter tourism area of the Persian Gulf Star Tourism Complex there would be forty-two restaurants, a thirty-two floor five star hotel, an and an indoor outdoor amusement park."
He added, "This complex would also include two 600-seat cinema halls, an Iranian bazaar, and 2,500 shops, all in a 500,000 square meter area in the north of Shiraz.
