Iran has 42 small and big islands in the Persian Gulf, half of which are inhabitable. Some of them like Greater and Lesser Tunbs and Abu Musa are of strategic importance. Qeshm Island is a trading hub and Khark Island is the pole of Iran's oil-export industry.
Although Kish Island is active on different sections trade and oil and gas and it was even the greatest trading hub in the Persian Gulf during the Seljuk empire (1037-1194 AD), its economy today is based mostly on tourism. The Island has the required infrastructure so that it has been called "the most complete international tourist region in Iran".
Hosting about 1.5 million tourists every year, Kish Island has an average of 20,000 internal and international flights annually. It has 52 hotels (12 5-star ones), 2 apartment hotels and 2 resorts.
However, the coronavirus outbreak hit the Island's tourism industry this year, so that it is now using its minimum capacity after two months of total lockdown. The maintenance toll has increased by 15 percent because of mandatory health protocols that must be applied.
Mahdi Hajikhani, a tourism activist, told IRNA that the Island can operate as an entrance gateway for the tourist from the Persian Gulf states who escape from hot days of summer to cool down in Iran's northern cities.
He said that hotels and residences in Kish Islands along with flights are operated under severe health protocols to prevent the spreading of the virus and ensure the safety of passengers and visitors.
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