Provincial governor: Khorasan Razavi attracts more than 27 million visitors annually

EghtesadOnline: “Annually more than 27 million pilgrims and tourists from all across the world come to visit Khorasan Razavi. About eight million people come to the province during New Year’s holiday for visiting its cultural, historical and tourist attraction. Many of the Iranian and foreign visitors to Iran are pilgrims visiting the shrine of Imam Reza (PBUH),” Iran’s Razavi Khorasan province governor said.

News ID: ۷۷۴۳۹۱

06 March 2017

According to ISNA, Alireza Rashidian says that the holy city of Mashhad, Iran has been officially introduced as the “cultural capital of the Muslim world” for the Asia region for 2017.

“We hope this leads to an expansion of public diplomacy and cultural and social interactions among different people and Muslims from all over the world. We want to spread out Razavi culture and develop the knowledge and kindness and brings dialogue and interaction between nations.” He noted

Mashhad which is the capital of Razavi Khorasan Province covers a total land area of 118,884 square kilometers. And it is located in northeastern Iran.

He continued Khorasan Razavi has long been one of the most influential Provinces of Iran. Also it was hometown of some of the most significant Iranian literary figures and artists such as Al-Farabi, Abu ʾl-Qasim Ferdowsi, Al-Biruni, Nasir al-Din al-Tusi, Omar Khayyám, Attar Neyshaburi and etc.

The magnificent and marvelous buildings and structures in the holy shrine of Imam Reza (PBUH) situated in the holy city of Mashhad, Iran, comprises one of the oldest and most beautiful religious and historical monuments in the world.

Every year, more than 27 million of pilgrims visit the Imam Reza shrine and pay their tributes to Imam Reza. The holy shrine and its museum hold one of the most extensive cultural and artistic treasuries of Iran.

Razavi Khorasan province governor told ISNA “besides these, Khorasan encompasses numerous religious buildings and other tourist attractions, including Goharshad mosque, Ghasabe Qanats of Gonabad which is one of the oldest and largest qanats in the world built between 700 BC to 500 BC, which attract visitors to this place.”

“Some of the other popular attractions of Razavi Khorasan are Tomb of Ferdowsi, a Persian poet and the author of Shahnameh, which is the world's longest epic poem created by a single poet, Mausoleum of Omar Khayyam, Jami and Attar Neyshabouri.  Only 30 percent of foreign tourists visiting Iran choose Mashhad as destination.”

According to Iran’s Razavi Khorasan province governor, health tourism is one of the fastest growing sectors of the province, and the city of Mashhad has become a medical tourist hub in the region for having Specialized Medical Centre Hospitals. Ten of these hospitals run international patient programs.

Khorasan province is one of the country's scientific references which have the biggest universities and Seminaries of the country. Ferdowsi University, one of the country's largest universities is in Mashhad.

Currently, more than 305 thousand foreign students have enrolled in Ferdowsi University of Mashhad. Seminaries of the Province are blessed to have about 25000 International students.

The province's economy is based on agriculture, animal husbandry, light and heavy industries and rich mineral resources including natural gas, which comprise one of the largest natural gas reserves in the world. There are about 50 kinds of mineral in the province.

He also said Khorasan Razavi considered as one of the main bases of foreign investments.

Producers in the north-eastern province of Khorasan Razavi – Iran’s hub for saffron cultivation – export to other countries. Khorasan Razavi produce 90 percent of all Iranian saffron exports.

According to Ministry of Industry, Mine and Trade, foreign investment which was about 779 million dollars from the beginning of 11th Iranian government has doubled in 2016.

“Khorasan Razavi is located in the northeast of the country, close to the borders of Turkmenistan and Afghanistan. So it can play a significant role in trading among these countries,” Alireza Rashidian added “this province was a major oasis along the ancient Silk Road connecting with Merv in the East.”

He continued “Recently china calls for the Silk Road revival and Khorasan Razavi has expressed its preparation for it by providing facilities and commercial infrastructures. We are trying to develop rail ways and roads as well as expanding bilateral relations with neighboring countries. “

“Khorasan Razavi managed to expand its relations with its neighbors and today we can say it is located at the crossroads of trade exchanges between Iran, Afghanistan and Central Asian countries,” Razavi Khorasan province governor stated.