Taliban Administration Reports 8 Million Domestic Tourists Visit Afghanistan
Officials from the Taliban administration have announced that eight million domestic tourists visited Afghanistan over the past year. Travel company representatives caution that without establishing standard infrastructure and streamlining administrative processes, sustainable growth in the tourism industry is unlikely. They emphasize that the lack of internationally standard hotels and professional services remains a major challenge in the sector.
Mohammad Usman Barkazi, a tourism company official, has called on the Taliban’s Ministry of Information and Culture to provide specialized training for employees in this field. Ahmad Sir Rahimi, head of the Tourism Companies Union, also stressed the necessity of simplifying the licensing process and easing the issuance of travel permits for foreign tourists, including through online services.
These requests come as the Taliban’s Ministry of Information and Culture announced that, in the past year, eight million domestic tourists and 10,000 foreign tourists visited Afghanistan’s natural, historical, and cultural attractions. According to ministry officials, programs have been initiated to expand the tourism industry, and the number of graduates in tourism and hospitality this year has reached 150.
Afghanistan, with sites such as the Badakhshan mountains, the Bamyan valleys, the historic minarets of Herat, and Band-e Amir, holds significant tourism potential. However, industry activists stress that effective utilization of these assets requires improvements in services, facilities, and administrative procedures.
