Iran said on Saturday that it plans to issue instant visas for foreign traders that arrive at the southern port city of Bandar Abbas.

The plan will be implemented at Bandar Abbas International Airport from 21 October 2015, said Jasem Jadari, the governor general of Hormozgan province.

The visas, Jadari added, will be valid for 14 days.

He said the purpose of the plan is to encourage foreign investors to visit Bandar Abbas and make investments in the city.

Jadari added that there has been a surge in foreign investments in Bandar Abbas over the past year.

He said the significant potentials that exist in the city can help make it a new investment hub in Iran.

Hormozgan hosts one special economic zone (Shahid Rajaei) and two free trade zones (Kish and Qeshm). Based on the data provided by the Investment Services Center of Hormozgan, the bulk of potentials for new investments in the province are located in the energy as well as the transportation sectors.

The Port of Bandar Abbas is connected to Tehran and the rest of Iran by road, rail, and air. It also connects to a wide variety of shipping routes to regional and international destinations. Apart from being a key hub for imports and exports, it also has unique facilities for exports of petroleum products.