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Almost four years after Afghanistan fell into Taliban control, the Islamic State welcomed tourists; Recent travel has been boosted.
The Taliban forces captured the capital Kabul on August 15, 2021, following a chaotic withdrawal of American troops under the Biden administration.
Tourism Minister Quadratullah Jamal told The Associated Press (AP) recently that Afghanistan had nearly 9,000 foreign visitors last year, and had 3,000 tourists in the first three months of the year.
“Tourism brings a lot of benefits to the country,” he said. “We look at these benefits and aim to make the most of our country.”
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One of the first Afghan women tour guides recently led the group National Museum Afghanistan – the group consisted of all women.
Suzanne Sandraal, an Australian from the group, said she was surprised by the Associated Press. “That’s not what I expected at all. I thought I was pretty scared. I thought I would be given a lot of…ccusatory looks. Not at all.”
One of the first Afghan women’s tour guides recently led the group through the National Museum of Afghanistan. This group consisted of all women as mentioned above. (AP Photo/ebrahim noroozi)
She said, “Where you go on the street, if you smile and nod a little or say hello to someone, you get a great response. So it’s very different.”
Another woman in the group posted a video of her recent trip on Tiktok in June. She captioned the video. “We explored the subtle and complicated lives of Afghan women in context and what we must offer all this beautiful land.”
But the US State Department is very clear. A trip to AfghanistanAdvising to refrain from traveling Level 4: Don’t travel” – Civil anxiety, crime, terrorism, risk of illegal detention, inducements, limited medical facilities warnings.
“U.S. citizen travelers to Afghanistan have been illegally detained for months or years,” the spokesman said. “We remind all US citizen travelers that adventures and vacations are not worth the price of your freedom.”
Other traveller influencers and regular tourists share their experiences on social media. Countries run by the Taliban With a positive light.
“What these female influencers experience is not representative of the lives of women in Afghanistan.” (AP Photo/ebrahim noroozi)
The travel photographer posted a summary of her trip, saying, “He was one of the first tourists to visit the country after the Taliban’s acquisition.”
“I was completely blown away by the incredible hospitality of the locals,” she wrote in a video of Tiktok, which has been viewed more than 56,000 times. Great food And a beautiful view. ”
“Adventures and holidays are not worth the price of your freedom.”
The popular solo traveler and social media creator posted a video of his trip to Afghanistan, saying, “I know that many people have mixed feelings about traveling to Afghanistan, but honestly, I had a great time as a solo traveler.”
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Another Tiktok video, which has accumulated nearly half a million likes, shows Australian travelers shopping at the food market.
“Some of the best food I had on all my trips were in Afghanistan,” said some of the video’s caption.
“Some of the best food I had on all my trips was Afghanistan,” one person said. “This was also the best sugar cane juice I’ve had.” (istock)
Afghan ambassador Austria to Austria Maniza Bahari told Fox News Digital that promoting tourism by the Taliban was an attempt to “image management.”
“As someone who lived and worked in Afghanistan, I can say this. What these female influencers experience is not representative of the lives of women in Afghanistan,” Bakhtari said.
She added, “The Taliban treats foreign women differently and often serves their purpose in the administration’s public relations strategy, so they often have an exaggerated politeness.”
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united nations The Afghanistan Support Mission (UNAMA) issued a human rights report in May, pointing out that women in Afghanistan have been denied the opportunity to participate in the workforce and that services cannot be accessed without male relatives.
The State Department wrote in a 2024 national report on human rights practices that the treatment of women has gradually deteriorated.
The new report stated that “more limited access to the freedom of education, employment and movement of women and girls will be effectively eliminated from public places.”
The above Taliban fighters will celebrate the third anniversary of the withdrawal of US-led troops from Afghanistan on Wednesday, August 14, 2024 in Kabul. (AP Photo/Siddiqullah Alizai)
“By introducing Scenic landscape And hospitality for foreign visitors, especially influencers, aims to create a story of stability and openness,” Baftali said.
Bakhtari noted that when it comes to adventure tourism, he sees an expanding global travel culture.
“The thrill of visiting “forbidden” or “untouched” often outweighs human rights concerns… [It] It becomes a form of voyeurism, prioritizing personal experiences over the reality of people living under oppression. ”
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Kelly Curry, former US ambassador to the UN Economic and Social Council, discussed the dangers of Visiting Afghanistansays Americans should “buy travel insurance.”
The US “cannot provide consular services if something happens, especially if it’s being lured and sold, or given to other extremist groups,” Curry told Fox News Digital.
“Traveling should open your heart, not your eyes.” (ap photo/ebrahim noroozi, file)
Travelmation president and founder Adam Duckworth told Fox News Digital that the travel agency has made the State Department’s recommendations “very serious.”
“If you’re considering traveling to a higher-level location, do your research to understand why these locations are on their list,” Duckworth said.
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Bakhtari said that Afghanistan is breathtaking, but “beauty should not render us injustice blind.”
“You should travel Don’t close your eyes, open your heart. ”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
