Dushanbe, March 14, 2009, Asia-Plus -- President Emomali Rahmon’s five-day tour of Iran today brought him to the Kish Island – the first free economic zone in the Islamic Republic of Iran, according to presidential press service.

The purpose of the visit was for Tajik president to get acquainted with activities of a number of enterprises and tourist companies operating on the island.

President Rahmon underlined Kish’s big experience in organization and management of free economic zones (FEZ) and recommended Tajik officials accompanying him on the visit to study experience of Iranian colleagues for using it for establishment of FEZs in Tajikistan.  He also recommended considering ways to expand cooperation on development of mountain and spa tourism in Tajikistan.

Kish is a resort island in the Persian Gulf.  It is part of the Hormozgan province of Iran.  The island has a free economic zone (FEZ) status.  It has an estimated population of 20,000 residents and about 5.5 million people visit the island annually.

The area of the island is 91.5 square kilometers.  Kish Island is the purported to be the third most visited Western-oriented cities in the Middle East, after Sharm el-Sheikh and Dubai.  Foreign nationals wishing to enter Kish Free Zone from legal ports are not required to obtain visas prior to travel.  Valid travel permits are stamped for 14 days by airport and Kish port police officials.

Since the mid-1990s the Iranian government has launched massive construction projects and programs in the Kish Island designed to attract foreign investment and trade.  Within the area of the Kish Free Zone, as it is known, the standard laws of the Islamic Republic of Iran are far more relaxed than on the mainland, which has resulted in significant increases in mostly domestic tourist population over the years, as well as in international trade on the island.  The population of the island includes significant numbers of both Muslims and Christians.  Kish Free Zone total foreign trade stands at around $9.2 billion per annum.