Don’t Pass up the Khyber
Tourists are increasingly shedding their familiar haunts in favor of new locales off the beaten path. Forget lazing on Caribbean beaches or drinking in the culture of European cities. Many now want something completely different that will get them far away from the maddening crowds. But will these adventurous travelers be prepared to add Afghanistan ...
Tourists are increasingly shedding their familiar haunts in favor of new locales off the beaten path. Forget lazing on Caribbean beaches or drinking in the culture of European cities. Many now want something completely different that will get them far away from the maddening crowds. But will these adventurous travelers be prepared to add Afghanistan to their itinerary? Matthew Leeming, who leads tours into the violence-prone country, thinks so. "Hospitality is such an essential, central part of the Afghan culture," says Leeming. "Their big comparative advantage is the natural beauty of the countryside."
Tourists are increasingly shedding their familiar haunts in favor of new locales off the beaten path. Forget lazing on Caribbean beaches or drinking in the culture of European cities. Many now want something completely different that will get them far away from the maddening crowds. But will these adventurous travelers be prepared to add Afghanistan to their itinerary? Matthew Leeming, who leads tours into the violence-prone country, thinks so. "Hospitality is such an essential, central part of the Afghan culture," says Leeming. "Their big comparative advantage is the natural beauty of the countryside."
In the 1960s and 70s, Afghanistan welcomed 80,000 visitors a year as part of the "hippie trail." This time around, Afghanistan is aiming to become a high-end tourism destination, like Bhutan. For rock-climbing enthusiasts, there are stretches of towering, unclimbed peaks. For those looking for a Central Asian safari, the government reportedly plans to sell licenses to shoot rare Marco Polo sheep — at $20,000 a pop. The country’s Buddhist heritage is already drawing busloads of intrepid Japanese tourists. And the Afghan minister of tourism, Hassamuddin Hamrah, has even bigger ideas: "We have plans to make a tourist site at the Tora Bora caves. Many Americans wish to go there."
Of course, the security situation is still a serious drawback. Leeming ruefully admits that the previous minister of tourism "was assassinated about a week before we took the first party…. Lots of people cancelled." But the tour operator isn’t discouraged. "The incredible beauty of the place means that tourism is the obvious first thing to do." Just don’t forget to pack your flak jacket.
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