Opening ceremony of JBK Ecotourism Center held officially on Sunday 23rd April 2017.
The center was called Community center before but Farsi translation of the word was not suitable so after discussion with GCHHTO experts, renamed to Ecotourism Center.
The center is constructed with the goal of entrepreneurship and strengthening local society in order to be able to develop the ecotourism activities parallel to conserve natural resources.
Construction of Ecotourism Center building and also training of locals in cooking, handy craft and kayaking activities, as well as practice ecotourism activities management system have been conducted under technical and financial support of JICA.
The ceremony was held by attendance of Deputy of Gilan Provincial Governor in Developmental Affairs, Director General of DOE Gilan, Deputy of GCHHTO, Experts of NRWGO, District Officer of Khomam, Some experts from relevant organizations, Village Assistants from surrounding villages and JBK, NGOS, Villagers of JBK, Mr. Tanaka, Senior Representative of JICA Iran Office and Mr. Aoki, Chief Advisor of JICA Expert Team in Anzali Wetland Ecological Management Project-Phase II.
Mr. Tanaka, Senior representative of JICA Iran Office appreciated villagers, authorities and counterparts and added: Ecotourism Center in JBK is one of our instruments to create rich villagers while using this rich natural environment. I hope this ecotourism center will be utilized very well and will be the good ecotourism for other villagers surrounding Anzali Wetland.
Mr. Shabanpour, Deputy of Gilan Provincial Governor in Developmental Affairs, appreciated the villagers of JBK and authorities and declared Ecotourism Center Construction project and ecotourism development in JBK village has been implemented under cooperation of Iran and JICA and we are going to develop tourism potential in more other 60 villages in Gilan province.
At the end of ceremony, VIP members visited Kayaking site to see kayaking activity which is done by local guides trained by JICA.
Considering the condition of two rivers in the area, Mr. Shabanpour issued the order of dredging the rivers in 2017 in order to deepen the river and remove the sediments and also added access road to Ecotourism center will be paved in current year.
JBK Ecotourism Center is opened every day afternoon and whole day (morning till night) at holidays and ready to hospitalize tourists and those who are interested in environment.
