Sunday June 9, 2013
Kabul (BNA) Tourism with humanitarian goals rapidly expanded across the world and got a specific position among the people and countries that in a number of countries stepped up to better organize it even in the ministry’s level.
Afghanistan with a special geographical location, beautiful valleys and historical sites has drawn the attention of tourists. Tourism institution established in 1958 and in 1965 got the membership of world tourism family.
Till 1977, despite lack of transportation facilities annually thousands of tourists had visited the country and millions of Afghans benefited by the Afghan people and government. Now, once again tourism gained its own position by hardworking of the Ministry of Information and culture and Tourism Department. Regarding the tourism history and internal relations of world’s people according to culture, customs and historical events, in 1975 tourism world organization started its work following objects. Ensuring international relations, respect to the world’s peace and human rights without discrimination of color, skin, religion, and sex well as expansion of national economy. But after changes in the country, tourism collapsed at large in Afghanistan losing a high source of national revenue.
At the end of 1994 with the establishment of tourism ministry and reactivation of tourism departments and Afghan Tour activities restarted in this field. Fortunately, the Afghan Tour Department is the only active organ in the tourism field that by having financial plans is operating with a number of active personnel and representative in other provinces that by the ongoing problems, annually millions of Afghans are benefited by the government. The ministry of information and culture (MoIC) twice has held national conferences on Tourism Industry assessment in Afghanistan and with full passion and spirit has also celebrated the World Tourism Day in the country according to the official of MoIC, Afghanistan has unique geographical location with historical monuments for tourists of the world officials also said that near to 1200 historical monuments of the country are on the verge of collapse and annihilation and expressed concern over the issue. The Afghan nation called on the government and the international community especially UNESCO to assist Afghanistan in preservation and protection of its cultural heritages. With conservation of our cultural heritage, Afghanistan not only retains its historical position in the world community but it also attracts the tourists to visit the country which as a result, it turns as a good source of income for the Afghan people and government.
