Afghans are "bringing" Afghan culture to the world.

Throughout years of peace, Noor Ramazan, and a small group of just a few dozen tour guides and drivers in Afghanistan, have worked to introduce tourists to the natural wonders and historical sites of a country often associated with images of war and violence.

"We just want people to understand that this country still has positive aspects," Ramazan said.

Before the war, Afghanistan was ready to show the world its beauty: the snow-capped Pamir Mountains and Hindu Kush, awe-inspiring Islamic architecture, historical relics hidden within the passage of time; exquisite cuisine, handcrafted textiles, and hospitality at the crossroads of Pashtun, Persian, Hazara, and Turkic cultures.

But war returned to the region, ending with the Taliban taking over from the Afghan government in August of this year. Ramazan, and many other tour workers, are among the hundreds of thousands of Afghans who fled the country fearing for their safety.

"Looking at history, it's clear that the Taliban never understood the true meaning of tourism. They viewed tourists as outsiders and tour guides as slaves of outsiders," Ramazan said. "Therefore, it's a dangerous profession."

A fledgling tourism industry

Before founding Let's Be Friends Afghanistan in 2016, Noor Ramazan worked as a security officer for an American non-governmental organization, participating in agricultural projects in northern Afghanistan. He always encouraged his foreign colleagues to visit tourist sites like Hazrat Ali Mazar – a mosque in Mazar-i-Sharif – to learn about the country outside the four walls of the office. To ensure his colleagues' safety, Ramazan always called the local police multiple times and updated them on the security situation before any visit.

In 2016, he decided to pursue a full-time career in tourism. Initially, he only dared to take on one or two clients a year. But after he gained more recognition on social media, by 2020, the number of tourists seeking his services had risen to around 200. People still travel to Afghanistan, despite warnings from many governments about conflict, kidnappings, and terrorism.

Ramazan organizes tours to mosques and historical sites in major cities like Herat and Kandahar. He also arranges meetings with local artisans, street photographers, and teachers. Many popular YouTubers, including Yes Theory and Drew Binsky, have shared videos of their travels across Afghanistan with Ramazan, garnering millions of views.

He began collaborating with various local guides across the country to build a network to assist tourists. He even worked with professional skier and hiking guide Sajjad Husaini – a potential Olympic contender. Husaini often takes tourists on mountain trekking trips and homestays around Bamyan and Daykundi, a northern province of Afghanistan. In addition, skiing and cycling trips are also popular.

Even as the political situation in Afghanistan began to deteriorate in May and June of this year, Ramazan still received numerous requests from potential customers. Some believed this might be their last chance to visit the country, as Afghanistan was one of the few countries that remained open to tourists throughout the pandemic.

Previously, the 1970s were the golden age of tourism in Afghanistan. According to the country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, an average of 90,000 tourists visited annually the 3D models of 6th-century Buddha statues in Bamyan, the towering minaret in Jam, and the vibrant Kabul market.

But 1979 marked the beginning of more than 40 years of war and instability, halting Afghanistan's tourism development path, and almost completely destroying it.

Tourism brings about change.

Before Ramazan's Afghanistan tours exploded on social media, another individual, Gul Hussain Baizada, had founded a pioneering post-Taliban travel company in 2011 called Silk Road Afghanistan & Travel. Baizada welcomed around 3,000 tourists to the country through his company. He believed that the power of tourism could create jobs for the people and, through that, boost the Afghan economy. He even employed Afghanistan's only female tour guide, Fatima Haidari.

Baizada's motivation for establishing his travel service company stemmed from 2009. That year, while working at the Aga Khan Foundation, he was sent to Nepal to study sustainable ecotourism initiatives. Upon his return, he was tasked with developing Afghanistan's first ski resort in Bamyan, a mountainous city in the eastern part of the country.

Initially, he faced considerable opposition when seeking sponsors for a group of female skiers. After much recruitment effort, and with the enthusiastic contributions of his wife, Baizada developed a community of women participating in sports in Bamyan. From there, other sports and tourism programs were soon launched, including trekking tours, long-distance cycling, mountaineering, and skiing.

He shared, "Tourism has come and completely changed the way of life in Bamyan. Before, Bamyan was more conservative than other areas. But now, everyone is more easygoing and empathetic. Families have more open-minded attitudes. It's all thanks to tourism."

In 2012, Bamyan was like a tourist oasis in this Middle Eastern country. The mountainous areas, lakes, and rugged villages around the city, along with the Wakhan region, were all considered safe for tourists. Tourism provided income for the local people. They developed sectors ranging from handicrafts to restaurant and shop management. Women had jobs and were treated with more respect.

However, the situation began to deteriorate in 2019, causing a gradual decline in tourist numbers to Bamyan. Densely populated areas like Kabul, Kandahar, and Herat are not always safe for tourists. Many tour companies, such as those in Ramazan and Baizada, have to conduct frequent security checks before accepting any tours.

Efforts to spread Afghan culture to the world.

What does the future hold for tourism in Afghanistan?

"It's too early to judge the situation," Ramazan remarked, "But for now, I'm not very optimistic."

Baizada also agreed with his opinion, "It's difficult to say whether the Taliban will accept tourism. If this is the Taliban of the 1990s, then we have no hope."

Both Baizada and Ramazan are Hazara, one of Afghanistan's largest ethnic minorities. They are concerned for their former colleagues remaining in Afghanistan – guides and drivers without stable incomes, facing the risk of persecution by the Taliban for having worked with foreigners. They are trying to find ways to help their community leave the country. To date, the international travel community has raised nearly $70,000 to help guides and their families leave the country.

Meanwhile, those who have left the country are trying to adapt to their new lives far from home. Ramazan is in Australia, while Baizada, Husaini, and Haidari are in Italy. Baizada still hopes to develop tourism programs run by Afghan refugees in Italy. Ramazan wants to open an Afghan cultural center in Australia, organizing workshops on Afghan cuisine, art, history, and other topics. He strongly believes that Afghanistan is not forgotten.

"We will not stop trying. I want to continue to talk about Afghanistan, and introduce Afghanistan, even when I am in a very distant place."

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