海角大神

Around 30 men are crammed into a Kabul classroom, part of the debut student cohort at a Taliban-run institute training tourism and hospitality professionals.

It鈥檚 a motley crew. One student is a model. Another is 17 and has no job history.

The students vary in age, education level, and professional experience. They鈥檙e all men 鈥撀燗fghan women are banned聽from studying beyond sixth grade 鈥撀燼nd they don鈥檛 know anything about tourism or hospitality. But they are all eager to promote a different side of Afghanistan. And the Taliban are happy to help.

Afghanistan鈥檚 rulers are pariahs on the global stage, largely because of their聽restrictions on women and girls. The economy is struggling, infrastructure is poor, and聽poverty is rife.

And yet, foreigners are visiting the country, encouraged by the sharp drop in violence, increased flight connections with聽hubs like Dubai, and the bragging rights that come with vacationing in an unusual destination. The numbers aren鈥檛 huge 鈥撀爐hey never were 鈥撀燽ut there鈥檚 a buzz around Afghan tourism.

In 2021, there were 691 foreign tourists. In 2022, that figure rose to 2,300. Last year, there were 7,000.

Mohammad Saeed, the head of the Tourism Directorate in Kabul, said the biggest foreign visitor market is China because of its proximity and large population. Afghanistan also has advantages over some of its neighbors.

鈥淭hey鈥檝e told me they don鈥檛 want to go to Pakistan because it鈥檚 dangerous and聽they get attacked. The聽Japanese聽have said this to me also,鈥� Mr. Saeed said. 鈥淭his is good for us.鈥�

But there are disadvantages, too.

Visas are difficult and expensive to access. Many countries severed ties with Afghanistan聽after the Taliban returned to power, and no country recognizes them as the legitimate rulers of the country.

Afghan embassies either closed or suspended their operations. There鈥檚 an ongoing power struggle between Afghanistan鈥檚 embassies and consulates staffed by people from the former Western-backed administration, and those聽under the Taliban administration鈥檚 full control.

Mr. Saeed concedes there are obstacles for Afghan tourism to develop but said he was working with ministries to overcome them.

His ultimate aim is to have a visa on arrival for tourists, but that could be years away. There are problems with the road network, which is half-paved or non-existent in some parts of the country, and聽airlines largely avoid Afghan airspace.

The capital Kabul has the most international flights, but no Afghan airport has direct routes with major tourist markets like China, Europe, or India.

Despite the challenges, Mr. Saeed wants Afghanistan to become a tourism powerhouse, an ambition that appears to be backed by the Taliban鈥檚 top leaders.

鈥淚 have been sent to this department on the instructions of the elders [ministers]. They must trust me because they鈥檝e sent me to this important place.鈥�

The students also have aspirations. The model, Ahmed Massoud Talash, wants to learn about Afghanistan鈥檚 picturesque spots for Instagram posts and its history for media appearances.

Business school graduate Samir Ahmadzai wants to open a hotel but thinks he should know more about tourism and hospitality first.

鈥淭hey hear that Afghanistan is backwards, poverty and all about war,鈥� said Mr. Ahmadzai. 鈥淲e have 5,000 years of history. There should be a new page of Afghanistan.鈥�

Classes include Afghan handicrafts and anthropology basics.

An unofficial subject is how to interact with foreign women and how their behavior or habits could clash with local customs and edicts. Examples might be women smoking or eating in public, to mixing freely with men who are not related to them by blood or marriage.

The Taliban have聽imposed a dress code for women聽and requirements for them to have a male guardian, or mahram, when they travel. Dining alone, traveling alone, and socializing with other women in public have become harder. With gyms closed to women and聽beauty salons banned, there are fewer places where they can meet outside the home.

In a sign that the country is preparing for more overseas visitors, the country鈥檚 only five-star hotel, the Serena, has reopened its women鈥檚 spa and salon for foreign females after a monthslong closure.

Foreigners must show their passport to access services. Women with 鈥渂orn in Afghanistan鈥� on their ID are barred.

The restrictions on Afghan women and girls weigh on overseas travel companies, who say they try to focus on the positive aspect of cultural interactions by making donations, supporting local projects, or only visiting family-run businesses.

Shane Horan, the founder of Rocky Road Travel, said visiting Afghanistan should not be seen as an endorsement of any particular government or political regime.

鈥淯ltimately, the goal should be to support responsible tourism practices that contribute positively to the local economy and foster mutual respect and understanding, while also remaining cognizant of the broader political context in Afghanistan.鈥�

He said there was no input from authorities about what tour groups saw or did, and that the company worked closely with a women鈥檚 rights organization in Afghanistan. A percentage of the tour cost went into supporting this organization鈥檚 programs, Mr. Horan added.

There are no women at the Institute of Tourism & Hotel Management. The students don鈥檛 mention it. But an official at the Tourism Directorate does.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a heartbreaking situation,鈥� said the official, who wished to remain anonymous for fear of reprisals. 鈥淓ven female family members ask if they can study here. But there was a change in policy with the change in government. The women who were studying before [the takeover] never came back. They never graduated.鈥�

This story was reported by The Associated Press.