The State Department warns against believing influencers who call Taliban-run Afghanistan ‘amazing’ travel destination

Almost four years after the Taliban took power, Afghanistan’s tourism sector is growing. Deputy Minister of Tourism Qudratullah Jamal reported that nearly 9,000 foreign tourists visited last year, with another 3,000 arriving in the first three months of this year.

According to Fox, the U.S. Department of State lists Afghanistan as a “Travel Advisory Level 4: Do Not Travel,” citing risks like civil unrest, crime, terrorism, kidnapping, and the “risk of wrongful detention.” A State Department spokesperson stressed, “U.S. citizen travelers to Afghanistan have been wrongfully detained for months or even years,” and reminded people that “no adventure or vacation is worth the price of your freedom.”

According to Manizha Bakhari, Afghanistan’s ambassador to Austria, the Taliban’s push for tourism is just “image management.” She says that the positive experiences shared by foreign women are “not representative of women’s lives in Afghanistan.” Bakhari explains that the Taliban treat foreign women differently, showing them “exaggerated politeness” because they “serve a purpose in the regime’s public relations strategy.”

We still need to warn people that the Taliban are very sexist

Social media influencers and travelers have helped spread a positive image by sharing posts about their “amazing” trips. One well-known solo traveler wrote that he had an “amazing time there as a solo traveler.” An Australian tourist shopping at a food market called the food “some of the best I have had in all my travels.”

A female Australian tourist said she was surprised because she had expected to feel afraid and get “accusatory looks” but instead received a “terrific response” from locals. Recently, one of Afghanistan’s first female tour guides led an all-women group, with a traveler posting a video captioned, “Exploring the nuanced and complex lives of Afghan women in context, and exploring all this beautiful land has to offer.”

In May, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) released a human rights report detailing how Afghan women are blocked from working and cannot access basic services without a male relative, while girls remain barred from education. The State Department’s own 2024 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices confirms that conditions for women and girls have gotten worse, with more restrictions on education, jobs, and freedom of movement, “effectively removing them from public spaces.”

The Taliban is still so far in its ideals that it declared war on TikTok and PUBG and put a price on Prince Harry’s head. This is still the same group that took over Afghanistan and pushed their own ideals on the country.

Former U.S. ambassador Kelley Currie also warned of the dangers, advising Americans to “buy travel insurance” because the U.S. is “unable to provide consular services if something happens, especially if they are kidnapped and sold or given to other extremist groups.” Adam Duckworth, president of Travelmation, urged travelers to “do your research to understand why those places are on those lists” before visiting high-risk destinations.