The National Statistics and Information Authority reports that in the past month, nearly 200 foreign tourists visited Afghanistan’s ancient sites. The authority has also shared information about the arrival and departure of over 2,400 foreign citizens to the country in the last month.
Mohammad Halim Rafi, spokesperson for the National Statistics and Information Authority, stated: “Our data shows that in the month of Dalwa of the current solar year, 2,465 foreign arrivals were recorded, and the data indicates that foreigners came to Afghanistan to visit historical sites and for work purposes.”
Tourism, as one of the largest industries in the world, is a major source of income for many countries.
Shafiullah Ghalib, a cultural affairs expert, said: “Facilitation should be provided in the visa issuance and movement sectors, and at the same time, security must be properly ensured so that they can visit various places.”
Faqir Maywand, former advisor to the Ministry of Information and Culture, said: “Protection and preservation of both tangible and intangible cultural heritage is essential. Along with this, tourism is also very important. I hope that the Ministry of Information and Culture can secure a good budget from the tourism industry.”
The Ministry of Information and Culture has announced that since the beginning of this solar year, approximately 7,700 foreign tourists have visited the historical regions of the country. These tourists mostly traveled to the provinces of Bamyan, Kandahar, Ghazni, Balkh, and Nuristan, indicating the foreign interest in Afghanistan’s historical and cultural attractions.