PressTV - Iran is to build its first hotel on water in the southwestern Bushehr Province in a bid to expand the country's range of tourist venues.

The Lianmond Marine Hotel will be entirely constructed with environmental friendly materials to inflict minimal damage to the marine environment.

The $450 million hotel will eventually sit some 600 meters off the Bushehr coast and will have a capacity for 1,000 guests.

The builders say they plan to incorporate the traditional and historical architecture of Bushehr into the hotel's design.

Bushehr Province not only enjoys significant tourism potentials but is also considered one of the main tourist destinations in the country.

http://www.irpedia.com/iran-news/321/

Iran's Foreign Ministry has announced that visas to foreign tourists will be issued exclsuviely in electronic format through a ministry website.

"Following the confirmation of the application, the electronic visa will take less than 72 hours to be issued," said Saeed Seyyed Agha Banihashemi, the ministry's director of technology affairs, adding that the electronic tourist visas will be issued as of this month.

Foreign tourists may now visit the Iranian Foreign Ministry website at www.mfa.gov.ir and login to the e-visa page. After filling out the application form and entering the required details the user will be given a reference code to pursue their visa issuance.

Once approved, applicants can choose to receive their visa either at Tehran's Imam Khomeini International Airport or at an official agency in their home country.

http://www.irpedia.com/iran-news/304/

Islamic Republic's borders are open to the foreign tourists, deputy head of Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization said.

Addressing the specialized e-tourism conference in Tehran, Mohammad Shahrif Malek Zadeh referred to the ninth government's policy for development of tourism.

He added that the conference indicates the existence of security and stability in the country which is plays a key role for foiling the negative advertisement against the Islamic Republic.

Referring to setting up the e-visa scheme, he stated that the measure aims to draw more visitors to Iran.

According to him the tour and travel agencies should be equipped with the new technologies as soon as possible.

Given to growing use of the Internet and virtual spaces, he cited that the foreign visitors are looking for the easiest way for traveling via the Internet and IT.

"Over 400,000 people have applied for visa through the Internet," he said.

E-Tourism Conference was held in Tehran on June 18-19.

The conference aimed at analyzing the role of information and communication technology in tourism industry.

E-Tourism in Iran, IT in Iran's tourism, latest academic and scientific findings and successful experiments in Iran's E-Tourism, role of government in Iran's E-Tourism, E-Tourism Marketing, E-Tourism in sustainable development and research in IT and E-Tourism were among the subjects discussed in the conference.

Iran's borders are open to foreign tourists

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Iran 2002: Returning from the "axis of evil"

If this is evil, give me more.

I am back from Iran, that country our mighty leader has christened a part of the "axis of evil."
And how was the trip? In a word tremendous! If this is evil, give me more. Staying with good friends, I was treated to hospitality and kindness that is found in this part of the world, where a guest is treated as a gift form God.

My activites were center in Tehran where I was a guest in the home of my friend, Sasan. He, his wife and new four month old baby girl gave me many hours of pleasure, with good food, good converstation, kindness, music and travel. They introduced me to new friends, new foods(ask an Iranian about kalapucheh!), and new ways of seeing.
I studied setar with a friend of Sasan's, who is patient teacher and good friend. An essential element of our learning together was that we must always seek beauty, not only in music but in our everyday lives.

With this in mind and Sasan's love of travel and photography, I was once again humbled and able to see a part of Iran that many do not see. Many of the my best moments are not on camera or recorded. Yet, I have interviews, concerts, and hundreds of photos, which are only reminders of the many seeds from the warm hearts of friends planted within me.

Dan Rein, Iran 2002