BAMYAN CITY (Pajhwok): Experts say that development of the tourism industry could lead to the growth of the local economy and job creation for hundreds of people in central Bamyan province, and if more investment is attracted in this industry, Afghanistan would become a tourist destination in the future.
Bamyan province is exceptional in terms of natural attractions and historical monuments in Afghanistan, and thousands of domestic and foreign tourists visit this province every year.
Safiullah Raeed, head of the Information and Cultural Affairs Department, told Pajhwok Afghan News that historic areas, ancient places, natural attractions and province-wide security and stability were the most important factors behind growing tourism and attraction of tourists.
He said from the start of this year until now 150,000 local and foreign tourists have visited the province.
Experts believed that tourism could help increase the income of the country and generate short and long term employment opportunities for the residents.
Mohammad Ali Amini, one of the experts and a university teacher, said the tourism industry is extremely effective in economic growth and job creation, and if more investment is made in this industry, Afghanistan would become a tourist destination in the future.
He added that the World Tourism Organization (WTO) has termed the tourism industry as the third income-generating industry in the world, which played an essential role in creating jobs and earning income
He said according to the survey of this organization, every 20 tourists can create one job, according to which, the presence of 150,000 tourists in Bamyan can provide more than 7,500 temporary jobs for the residents of this province.
Amini said unlike all other industries, the tourism industry helps the local residents in the production and sale of handicrafts, local products, hotel management, transportation, guide and food sales and provides employment for the local people.
Habib Ibrahimi, one of the tourists who come from Kabul for the purpose of tourism, said Bamyan is an attractive province during summer it is a suitable place for tourism.
He said: “I have been in this province for three days and I have spent nearly 5,500 Afghani on food, car rental, buying local products and other necessary facilities.”
Sayed Ali, one of the hotels owners in the Band-i-Amir Park, said the tourism season in this area is about 5 months and in this area during the tourist season about 1500 people are busy working in different sectors.
The said the local resident have these five months for earning and they don’t have any other occupation in the remaining months.
Nasrin Mohammad, one of the handicraft sellers, said the sale of local products, especially handicrafts, depends on the number of tourists in this province.
During five months into the tourism season, the production and business in the handicrafts sector flourishes, and as the number of tourists’ decreases, the sales also decrease.
She said local authorities should strive to find market for locally produced products outside Bamyan.
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