A "Welcome" Twist in a Hostage-Like Video
More Foreign Visitors, But Terror Threats Remain
As the Taliban, who have taken control of Afghanistan, are ramping up efforts to attract tourists, a tourism promotion video produced by some Afghan influencers has sparked controversy.
Afghan influencers have sparked controversy by producing and distributing a tourism promotion video parodying a beheading execution scene. Photo by Yonhap News
On July 11, Yonhap News, citing a report by the Spanish news agency EFE, reported that the video was produced in a way that parodies execution scenes and is spreading on social media.
In the controversial video, a person dressed in Taliban attire stands behind men with black plastic bags over their heads, evoking the imagery of extremist hostage videos. However, the tension is quickly reversed. The supposed hostage removes the bag, smiles brightly, and says, "Welcome to Afghanistan," after which the video transitions to scenes introducing famous tourist destinations.
The video is spreading mainly on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), where it can be found using hashtags such as '#afghanistan tourism'. The exact production date of the video is unclear, but it has recently been shared rapidly online. It is mainly posted by accounts that support the Taliban or aim to promote tourism.
In fact, the Taliban are making significant efforts to develop the tourism industry to earn foreign currency and improve the country's image. Since 2022, the number of foreign tourists visiting Afghanistan has reached about 15,000. The main visitors are Western travelers seeking adventure and unique experiences, as well as influencers aiming to produce local content.
The Taliban are actively promoting Afghan tourism by emphasizing the country's safety on their official website and social media, as well as through thousands of overseas travel agencies and online creators. However, the reality remains unstable. EFE pointed out that foreign tourists are still exposed to security threats.
In fact, last year in the Bamyan region near Kabul, an armed attack resulted in the deaths of four Spanish tourists and one Afghan local. The attack was claimed by ISIS-K, the Afghan branch of the Islamic extremist terrorist group Islamic State (IS).
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
