TEHRAN – Mianeh county in East Azarbaijan province, northwest Iran holds a unique potential in developing agritourism and rural tourism, Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts Minister Ezzatollah Zarghami said on Thursday.The tourism ministry has prioritized the development of rural tourism and agritourism, recognizing the wealth and significance of the county’s villages, the minister said. Mianeh has the potential to become a top tourist destination instead of just a transit city, he added. With unique historical and tourist sites, there is a great opportunity to attract investors through tailored investment packages, which could lead to tourism prosperity in the region, he mentioned. When it comes to rural tourism, Iran, which has many pristine yet diverse natural settings, has many to offer to nature lovers.

Rural tourism as well as agritourism and farm stays can be regarded as a win-win both for local communities and post-modern travelers who are tracing unique experiences.Sightseers may stay with a rural or nomadic family for a while or enjoy an independent stay and assist them with day-to-day life.

It also opens up an opportunity to feel rustic routines, agriculture, traditions, arts, and culture.Rural tourism, most of all, sets the ground for economic development in rural areas by creating additional income and employment.

It can also improve the social well-being in rural areas, for instance by stimulating improvements in infrastructure, sanitation, and electricity networks.The World Tourism Organization sees rural tourism as a type of activity in which the visitor’s experience is related to a wide range of products generally linked to nature-based activities, agriculture, rural lifestyle, culture, angling, and sightseeing.

Such tourism also possesses characteristics such as low population density, a landscape dominated by agriculture and forestry, as well as traditional social structure and lifestyle.Agritourism and nature-tourism enterprises might include outdoor recreation (fishing, hunting, wildlife study, horseback riding), educational experiences (cannery tours, cooking classes, or tea or coffee tasting), entertainment (harvest festivals or barn dances), hospitality services (farm stays, guided tours, or outfitter services), and on-farm direct sales (u-pick operations or roadside stands).It is a relatively new branch of the travel industry in which tourists stay with local people in rural areas.

Farm/ranch recreation refers to activities conducted on private agricultural lands, which might include fee-hunting and fishing, overnight stays, educational activities, etc.Experts believe that in addition to the customer services jobs, agritourism pays special attention to the production sector, saying agricultural tourism is much more important and practical than other branches of tourism because it creates a new chain and diversity in the field of production and services.Agritourism is a subset of a larger industry called rural tourism that includes resorts, off-site farmers' markets, non-profit agricultural tours, and other leisure and hospitality businesses that attract visitors to the countryside.ABU/AM