Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban regime wants to attract more tourists and has begun training a crack squad to promote tourism in the country at the crossroads of Central and South Asia.
30 male trainees
Following decades of war and ongoing international condemnation and sanctions due to the Taliban’s removal of the basic human rights for women and girls, Afghanistan’s militia government is now looking to boost the country’s economy by growing its tourism sector.
To this aim, a group of 30 trainees has been recruited – all men, due to the Taliban’s apartheid policies which mean no schooling opportunities for girls after sixth grade and no travel without a male guardian or mahram.
The men will learn about the tourism and hospitality sector, and Afghanistan’s beauty spots, traditions, handicrafts. They are also receiving lessons on how to interact with women who do not conform to the Taliban’s rules.
Is there a tourist sector in Afghanistan?
Tourist arrivals in Afghanistan are growing exponentially, but from a minuscule base. There were just 691 foreign tourists during the whole of 2021, the year US and UK troops pulled out and left the country in chaos with an incoming militia government. But by only a year later in 2022, that number had more than tripled, to 2,300 visitors. By 2023, international arrivals had grown again to 7,000.
Even so, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has a serious challenge ahead to make its hospitality and tourism sector the “powerhouse” it envisages. While Kabul has recently increased connections to Dubai, no airport in the country has direct routes with any major Chinese, European or Indian hubs and most airlines avoid Afghan airspace.
What’s more, the poverty-stricken country’s poor infrastructure makes it difficult to get around once there and facilities are often not what foreign guests expect. Despite a drop in violence which, according to Kabul’s tourism director Mohameed Saeed, means many visitors now prefer Afghanistan to Pakistan, the country is still synonymous with repressive Islamic rule.
Visa on arrival?
Even if visitors are attracted – and some are drawn in by the perceived kudos of a trip to such an unvisited place – they must navigate the process of getting a visa, not easy given no other nation recognises the Taliban as a legitimate government and many have severed diplomatic ties.
Nonetheless, Saeed insists the development of the sector is a priority for the regime and that he is working with ministries to find solutions to the visa issue, which may include an eventual “visa-on-arrival” scheme.
