Travel Influencers Boost Tourism To Taliban-run Afghanistan

Orzala, of RUSI, said that while influencers pinch Western passports “roam freely, airs for photos and summation online fame,” those privileges are denied to Afghan women, who are barred from schools, jobs aliases moreover stepping freely successful public without being accompanied by antheral guardians.

There are besides civilized and ethical dilemmas, she added, because profits from tourism consequence indirectly legitimizing and financially sustaining a authorities that has institutionalized “gender apartheid.”

As for videos from influencers that show Afghan women smiling successful nan background, Orzala said, “This should ne'er beryllium confused pinch contentment aliases consent to nan existent reality.”

“This is not taste exchange; it’s neocolonial tourism dressed up arsenic adventure,” she added.

Visitors to Afghanistan are still successful nan debased thousands arsenic nan war-torn state tries to rebuild its image nether strict Taliban-run Islamic laws and customs. Nearly 9,000 foreigners visited successful 2024, while astir 3,000 visited successful nan first 3 months of this year, according to a study from The Associated Press.

Along pinch recreation influencers, immoderate tourism companies are creating jaw-dropping videos that person since been reshared by Taliban accounts connected societal media successful a bid to pull much visitors.

One outlandish 50-second video made by vlogger Yosaf Aryubi originates pinch an eerie segment of 3 group pinch bags complete their heads, presumed to beryllium held hostage by nan men opinionated down them, who are dressed for illustration nan Taliban pinch rifles slung complete their shoulders.

“We person 1 connection for America,” 1 of nan equipped men says, earlier pulling nan container disconnected 1 of nan hostages, only to uncover a grinning tourer who gives a thumbs-up and says, “Welcome to Afghanistan!”

The video past cuts to antheral visitors diving into scenic lakes and stepping done waterfalls, and moreover holding M4 rifles that are revealed to beryllium replicas.

Not each influencer sees Afghanistan successful that way. In different video, YouTuber Nolan Saumure, whose transmission Seal connected Tour has 650,000 subscribers, acknowledges that he only interacted pinch men during his travel there.

In a 35-minute video titled “Afghanistan Has Too Much Testosterone,” Saumure spins nan camera astir to show a ample crowd of Afghan men swarming him.

“It’s a complete sausage fest successful here,” he says.