CNN has posted an interesting story about the Bamiyan Province in Afghanistan, which is opening up to outsiders and trying to generate tourist traffic despite the fact that the country is embroiled in conflict.
The province first came to the attention of the international community back in 2001 when the Taliban made a very public display of destroying two huge statues of Buddha that had been in the region for more than 1500 years. Despite that shameful display, Bamiyan still has plenty of other archaeological treasures to share with visitors, such as a unique network of underground monasteries that run throughout the nearby hills.
Despite the presence of the Taliban back in 2001, Bamiyan is now one of the safest parts of the country, and the infrastructure is being built for future tourism to the area, including hotels and tour operators. One of the big draws to the region is the stunning mountain scenery, which remains remote and mostly untouched by modern technology, and has the potential to be a major attraction to backpackers and trekkers from around the world.
The article notes that tourism is a bright spot for the future of Afghanistan, and could eventually be a major source of revenue for the country. But for now, the ongoing conflict there makes it a destination for adventure travelers and danger seekers only.