Taliban lures young travel influencers four years after Afghanistan takeover

Taliban forces captured the capital city of Kabul on Aug. 15, 2021, following the chaotic withdrawal of American troops under the Biden administration.  

Deputy Minister of Tourism Qudratullah Jamal told The Associated Press (AP) recently that Afghanistan had nearly 9,000 foreign visitors last year, with 3,000 tourists in the first three months of this year.

"Tourism brings many benefits to a country," he said. "We have considered those benefits and aim for our nation to take full advantage of them."

Suzanne Sandral, an Australian in the group, told AP she was surprised. "It's not what I expected at all. I expected to feel rather fearful. I expected to be given a lot of ... accusatory looks. Not at all."

She said, "Wherever you go in the streets, if you smile at someone and give them a little nod or say hello, you get a terrific response. So it's very different."

Another woman in the group posted videos of her recent trip in June on TikTok. She captioned a video, "Exploring the nuanced and complex lives of Afghan women in context, and exploring all this beautiful land has to offer."

"U.S. citizen travelers to Afghanistan have been wrongfully detained for months or even years," said a spokesperson. "We remind all U.S. citizen travelers that no adventure or vacation is worth the price of your freedom."

A travel photographer posted a recap of her trip, saying she was "one of the first tourists to visit the country after the Taliban takeover."

A popular solo traveler and social media creator posted a video of his trip to Afghanistan, writing, "I know a lot of people have mixed feelings about Afghanistan travel, but honestly, I had an amazing time there as a solo traveler."

Another TikTok video that amassed nearly half a million likes shows an Australian traveler shopping at a food market.

"Some of the best food I have had in all my travels was in Afghanistan," said the video's caption in part.

Manizha Bakhari, ambassador of Afghanistan to Austria, told Fox News Digital the Taliban's promotion of tourism is an attempt at "image management."

"As someone who has lived and worked in Afghanistan, I can say this: What these female influencers experience is not representative of women's lives in Afghanistan," said Bakhtari.

She added, "The Taliban treat foreign women differently, and often with exaggerated politeness, because they serve a purpose in the regime's public relations strategy."

The State Department wrote in its 2024 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices document that treatment of woman has become progressively worse. 

The new report stated that there has been "further restricted access to education, employment, and freedom of movement for women and girls - effectively removing them from public spaces."

Bakhtari noted she's seen a growing disconnect in global travel culture when it comes to adventure tourism.

The United States is "unable to provide consular services if something happens, especially if they are kidnapped and sold or given to other extremist groups," Currie told Fox News Digital. 

Adam Duckworth, Travelmation's president and founder, told Fox News Digital that travel companies take State Department advisories "very seriously."

"If you are considering travel to a location in the higher levels, then do your research to understand why those places are on those lists," said Duckworth.

Bakhtari said while Afghanistan is breathtakingly beautiful, "beauty should not blind us to injustice."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.