Number of tourists visiting Iran via Astara increases

 Some 577,882 foreign tourists arrived in Iran via Astara land border over the past eight months, up by 45.5 percent as compared to the corresponding period of last year, said Director-General of Gilan Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Department on Monday.

Shahroud Amir-Entekhabi added that the border port of Astara ranks third in terms of attracting tourists while Rasht city and Anzali port come first and second, respectively.

Some 4,312,251 tourists arrived in Astara during the past eight months, registering 8.79 percent increase compared to the corresponding period of last year, he said.

Location on the border, vicinity to Ardebil province, natural landscapes, coastal market, green parks and recreational centers, seasonal exhibitions of handicrafts, bird gardens are among the contributing factors to the absorption of tourists to the port city.  

Astara lies on the border with Azerbaijan Republic and on the Caspian Sea. It is a relatively important border trade center between Iran and the Caucasus.