Who would go on vacation in central Afghanistan knowing that the Taliban is in control?
“Obvious thing happens to oblivious tourists.” Should be the headline.
Friday’s attack on foreign tourists was the first since the Taliban stormed back to power in Afghanistan in August 2021.
Not bad odds, really.
Largely depends on how many tourists have been there since, really.
Bamiyan, one of the poorest regions in impoverished Afghanistan, is a popular destination for foreign tourists because it contains Buddhist monastic ensembles and sanctuaries, according to the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
I could only guess and say that it’s not an insignificant amount if they’re calling it a popular destination.
It’s a famous historical site:
Bamiyan, one of the poorest regions in impoverished Afghanistan, is a popular destination for foreign tourists because it contains Buddhist monastic ensembles and sanctuaries, according to the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
The scenic city was also the spot where the Taliban destroyed two large Buddha statues in March 2001 during their previous rule in Afghanistan. The group said the statues were blasphemous under Islam.
I get that, but if even the most interesting historical landmark in the world were being operated by a terrorist group, that alone is reason enough to pick another travel destination, in my opinion. Human rights aside, situations such as this demonstrate the safety risks that come with visiting such destinations.
It’s a shame that there hasn’t been extensive political support within Afghanistan itself to oust the Taliban, as I’m sure it would have tremendous tourism potential, given its historical landmarks and central location in Eurasia, if only it were safe to visit.
There are certain kinds of people that love this kind of tourism. I mean, tourists visit North Korea every year. It might be the thrill of visiting forbidden countries that attracts them.
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