Dubbed the world’s most dangerous country, Afghanistan is witnessing a surge in tourism despite being under Taliban rule.
The country has been awarded the title by the Global Peace Index for six years running due to its low safety scores, but so-called dark tourists are flocking to its rugged terrain to explore the country.
The 2024 Risk Map underscores the peril, citing “extreme” warnings over security challenges ranging from political dissent to rampant crime.
Yet, against all odds and common sense, tourists are arriving in greater numbers with 691 people visiting in 2021, climbing to 2,300 in 2022, and rocketing up to 7,000 last year.
The rise in tourists could be influenced by better air links through cosmopolitan hubs like Dubai but, intriguingly, the majority of these adventurers hail from China.
Nevertheless, the UK Foreign Office insists Brits avoid any travel to this Asian nation. It warns: “You should not travel to Afghanistan. The security situation is volatile. Travel throughout Afghanistan is extremely dangerous and border crossings may not be open.
“There is a heightened risk of British nationals being detained in Afghanistan. If you are a British national and you are detained in Afghanistan, you could face months or years of imprisonment. FCDO’s ability to help you is extremely limited and support in person is not possible in Afghanistan.”
If caught up in Afghanistan’s chaos, Brits could face lengthy imprisonments with scant hope of consular rescue, as the FCDO’s capacity to offer on-the-ground support is non-existent.
Obtaining visas has become a daunting and pricey endeavour for tourists, amidst the diplomatic isolation experienced by Afghanistan following the Taliban’s takeover after 20 years of war. Nations have cut connections with Kabul, where no state recognises the group as the rightful government.
Kabul Airport, boasting the highest number of international flights in the country, is not directly linked to key tourism sectors such as China, Europe, or India, due to airlines largely avoiding Afghan skies.
Moreover, the nation grapples with destroyed and decrepit infrastructure; its roadway system is either roughly paved or entirely absent in certain regions.
Despite these challenges, Mohammad Saeed, the chief of Kabul’s Tourism Directorate, holds an ambitious vision. He yearns to transform Afghanistan into a tourism behemoth, an aspiration apparently shared by the Taliban’s leadership echelons.
Under the regime’s patronage, an institute has emerged with hopes of bolstering the tourism sector. This institute is dedicated to schooling future specialists in tourism and hospitality, aiming to woo more visitors.
The institute’s inaugural class consists of 30 students with disparate backgrounds in terms of age, educational accomplishments, and vocational history. Significantly, they are all male, as Afghan women are barred from education beyond the sixth grade.