With the rise of nature tourism across the globe, local and national economies now have the potentialities to benefit from this appealing phenomenon. It is apparent that Iran is in a good position to take advantage of this opportunity. In this note, I'll concentrate on a potentially lucrative attraction that has been overlooked in comparison to other sites.
Many experts believe that Shirez Canyon, situated 45 kilometers northeast of Kuhdasht city, in the heart of the Zagros Mountains in western Iran, is one of the most stunning attractions with a wealth of investment potential. This magnificent valley is famed for the unique shape of its rocks- gives it a breathtaking look, which would appeal to photographers. Indeed, if you search through social media, you will find thousands of trending images of this valley that are taken by tourists. What’s more, this majestic valley is Surrounded by mountain slopes, which provide some amazing high-altitude trekking trails and thanks to the presence of springs that run through the valley, biodiversity in this area is predominantly high, meaning when walking through the canyon, the likelihood of seeing different animals is high. All these features have led many to call this marvelous valley “the Iranian Grand Canyon”.
What sets this region apart is two major features. First and foremost, Shirez Canyon's proximity to twelve-thousand-year-old paintings on the walls of Mirmalas and Humian caves has given this area a high potential as a tourist destination. Additionally, the location of shirez-valley at the intersection of three provinces of Lorestan, Kermanshah, and Ilam has provided this opportunity for this wonderful canyon to be accessible much easier.
Despite the fact that this tourist spot has not been introduced enough even for Iranian people and there are not even primitive facilities for visitors, this area receives thousands of domestic tourists annually and even the number of international tourists has increased dramatically during recent years, hence it can be concluded that provided that welfare facilities are provided and proper publicity is done to introduce this attraction, millions of tourists will be attracted and investment in this haven will lead to great economic success.
Reporting by Mohammadreza Kooranifar