Frequently Asked Questions
1. Define tourism facilities.
Tourism facilities are establishments built in various locations—including cities, villages, and tourism axes—to provide services to domestic and foreign tourists. These services include accommodation, catering, recreation, sports, cultural activities, and others. Depending on the type of facility, they vary in terms of land area, investment volume, and existing standards. Their permits are issued by the Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization.
2. What do tourism facilities include?
Hotels
Hotel Apartments
Motels
Guesthouses
Campgrounds
Villas
Pilgrim Hostels
Tourism Complexes
Traditional Tea Houses
Tourism Villages
Model Tourism Areas
Recreational Areas
Travel and Tourism Services Offices
Model Tourism Areas
Youth Hostels
Boarding Houses and Rental Homes
3. What are the general documents and conditions for establishing tourism facilities?
(Form/Documents)
4. Which department of the organization should be contacted to obtain a permit for establishing tourism facilities?
The Deputy for Investment and Projects, Projects and Facilities Office.
5. What conditions must an investor meet?
Adequate financial capacity.
The required land and site for the project.
A suitable and justifiable project plan.
6. What is the scope of activity of the Deputy for Investment?
All cities and counties of Fars Province.
7. What are the general conditions of the land for establishing tourism facilities and projects?
a) Suitable area (size).
b) Proper accessibility.
c) Feasibility of supplying the required water.
d) Being located on axes and in places that are logically justifiable for investment.
e) The land or property must not be adjacent to hospitals, military barracks, repair shops, livestock farms, or any businesses that are incompatible with tourism activities.
f) The property must have no legal disputes or legal restrictions such as road right-of-way, environmental regulations, or other similar issues.
8. What is the process for obtaining a permit for tourism facilities?
(The permit issuance process for tourism facilities – flowchart/procedure)
9. What are the supportive regulations of the Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization?
a) Calculation of energy consumption costs (water, electricity, gas) for tourism projects at industrial rates.
b) Change of land use from residential, agricultural, or other to tourism use, for lands outside cities, is free of charge.
c) Provision of facilities (loans), subject to sufficient budget, to projects after at least 30% physical progress, with long-term installments and covering 4% to 8% of the interest paid.
d) Tax exemption of up to 50%.
10. What is the minimum land area for establishing tourism facilities?
Hotel: 400 m²
Hotel Apartment: 300 m²
Traditional Tea House: 300 m²
Tourism Complexes: 5,000 m²
11. In how many ways can investors submit their applications?
After registering the application with the Deputy for Investment and the initial formation of the file, the investor must select a consultant with valid credentials approved by the General Administration and enter into negotiations for the preparation of plans, maps, or other required items.
12. In the general plan of a tourism project or complex—including feasibility studies, technical and financial plans, map preparation, and various consultations—how is it done and by whom?
The investor, after registering their application with the Deputy for Investment and the initial formation of the file, must select a consultant with valid credentials approved by the General Administration and enter into negotiations for the preparation of plans, maps, or other required items.
13. Can existing buildings be converted into hotels, traditional tea houses, hotel apartments, or other tourism facilities?
Yes, if they meet the organization’s standards and other conditions, and following administrative and legal procedures, semi-constructed buildings can be completed and converted into tourism facilities.
14. Do tourism facilities have specific qualitative and quantitative regulations and standards, or are they executed at the investor’s discretion?
Tourism facilities have specific standards and regulations regarding area, number of spaces, and type of services. While respecting these standards, the investor can incorporate their own views and preferences, especially during the design and preparation of architectural plans.
15. How are the floor area, number of floors, and investment volume determined?
Depending on the land use (agricultural, service, commercial, residential), whether it is located within a city or outside, and whether it is within the buffer zone of historical sites, the number of floors, built-up area, and other factors vary. Generally, within cities, the land occupancy rate ranges from 30% to 100%, while on agricultural land and orchards, the maximum built-up area is 25%. The number of floors depends on the location within or outside the city. The investment volume, depending on the built-up area and type of materials, is generally estimated at 350,000 to 1,500,000 tomans per square meter.
16. How can one determine whether investing in tourism will be successful or not?
Personal research and study, and understanding the tourism industry and its position in Iran and the specific city or province (Fars).
Benefiting from the opinions of an expert and knowledgeable consultant.
Visiting and negotiating in person with investors who have invested in various projects.
17. Are there any restrictions on age, gender, or nationality for investors?
Individuals of any age, gender, or nationality can submit their applications. If the investor, for various reasons such as absence from the city, not having reached the legal age, old age, or any other occupation, they can invest by issuing a power of attorney.
18. Can a project be executed without obtaining a permit from the organization?
No. Because if the organization does not approve and a permit is not obtained, the responsibility falls on the investor.
19. Which organizations and bodies must provide their opinions on the project after the issuance of the initial approval?
If the project is to be implemented within a city or village, the municipality, district administration, health department, and fire department are involved. If outside the city, the Environmental Protection Organization, Agricultural Jihad, Roads and Urban Development, Electricity, Water, Wastewater, Gas, Natural Resources, and the Oil Company are involved. Additionally, after receiving positive responses from the above-mentioned bodies, obtaining approval from the Article 5 Commission for lands within city limits, and from the Infrastructure Working Group, Article 1 Commission, and Note 1 of Article 1 Commission for lands within villages, city and village buffer zones, and outside city and village limits, is required for land allocation or use determination and stabilization.
20. When is a case/file closed?
Rejection of the land implementation site for any legal reason.
Disapproval by other relevant bodies in response to inquiries.
Failure of the applicant to follow up within the specified legal deadlines.
Withdrawal by the applicant.
Proven violation or forgery of documents and credentials.
21. How is the initial formation of a file done in Shiraz and other cities of the province?
Through the service centers (offices) located throughout the province.
22. What are the conditions for the title deed?
It must be full ownership (sixths).
It must have no legal dispute or objection.
It must not be a preliminary sales agreement (promissory note).
If it is endowment property, the consent of the Endowment Organization must be obtained.
If it is jointly owned, the exact location of the land (the investor’s share) must be specified.
If it is under the exclusive possession of heirs, the share of each heir must be clearly specified and officially declared.
23. Can a permit for, say, a traditional tea house or hotel be used in another location or on another property?
No. Any permit issued is tied to the specific land and location, and is in the name of the owner. Transfer of the property or the permit to another location is not possible.
24. Can the initial approval and the property be bought, sold, or leased?
If the owner or investor holds an official permit from the organization and has already obtained a construction permit, they may sell or lease the property upon official notification to the organization. In this case, the buyer or lessee must definitely contact the Deputy for Investment and Projects, be informed of the conditions and regulations, and proceed with the official notification of the organization. Otherwise, any problems in project execution will be the responsibility of both parties, and the organization will only address the investor who holds the permit.