Bamyan visited by about 130,000 tourists last year

BAMYAN CITY (Pajhwok): More than 130,000 tourists, including foreigners, visited central Bamyan province to satisfy their curiosity about ancient monuments last year, an official said on Monday.

Bamyan is an ancient and historical province and has great importance in terms of picturesque natural landscape and historical monuments, Thousands of domestic and foreign tourists every year arrive in the province to visit historic places.

Safiullah Raeed, Bamyan information and culture director, told Pajhwok Afghan News that around 130,000 tourists thronged tourist destinations in Bamyan last year.

He said ancient sites and natural resources annually attracted thousands of tourists from other provinces and foreign countries.

He said nearly 1,500 foreign nationals were among the tourists who visited Bamyan last year.

Habib, a resident of Kabul who was in Bamyan for sightseeing, said Bamyan was a suitable and spectacular picnic place for its scenic areas and good weather.

According to him, historical and ancient sites in every province familiarize people with their history and civilizations dating back several thousand years and make the ground for a better knowledge of cultures.

Also, Jose Manuel, a citizen of Portugal, who traveled to Bamyan, said Bamyan was home to dozens of spectacular and amazing attractions that fascinated every viewer.

He added: “I would like to visit this province many times and I would like other tourists to travel to Afghanistan and visit the historical areas of this province.”

He also asked the relevant departments to pay attention to providing more services, including transportation, accommodation and garbage bings in recreational places.

The presence of tourists has positively impacted local economy and offered employment opportunities for thousands of local residents.

Hamza Yousefi, tourism expert at the Department of Information and Culture of Bamyan, said ttourism industry was the most dynamic and income-generating industry and played an essential role in increasing incomes and creating jobs.

He said these work opportunities included sale of handicrafts and local products, transportation charges, hotel and accommodation services during the season.

sa/ma

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