Read The Diplomat, Know The Asia-Pacific
Online influencers are framing Afghanistan as a a beautiful, welcoming “hidden gem.” That may be true for tourists – but what about the women who live there?
“Don’t believe what the media tells you about Afghanistan.”
That’s the line turning up on TikTok and Instagram five years after U.S. and NATO forces withdrew and the Afghan Republic collapsed. Travel influencers – even women – are touring bustling Kabul markets and showcasing pristine mountain valleys, telling their audiences that the world has gotten Afghanistan all wrong.
To the Taliban authorities, these foreign tourists are a PR goldmine – a chance to show the world that Afghanistan is safe, stable, and open for business.
