Australia Warns Against Visiting This Destination, Yet Influencers Are Still Endorsing It

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Afghanistan may not be top of mind for most travelers, yet a surge of influencers is aiming to change that perception.

Travel vloggers have been heading to the central Asian country, inundating social media with content highlighting its vast landscapes, rich history, and famed hospitality.

This is occurring despite the Taliban taking control over four years ago and eroding human rights—particularly those of women.

The movement has faced strong criticism from human rights organizations, who argue that these creators might be legitimizing the Taliban regime, which the United Nations labeled in 2023 as the “most repressive” government for girls and women.

However, some believe that responsible tourism could help alter the negative perception often associated with the war-torn nation.

Tourism booming under Taliban

Since the withdrawal of US troops in August 2021, Afghanistan’s tourism industry has reportedly experienced a surge, with Taliban officials claiming 14,500 foreign tourists visited in the three years to December 2024.

While the Taliban has encouraged tourism as a source of revenue, rights groups say this comes at the expense of transparency and safety, with little infrastructure or legal protection for visitors.

International agencies warn the security situation remains volatile, with three Spanish tourists and three Afghans killed in a terror attack by a regional branch of the self-proclaimed Islamic State group in May 2024.

Despite this, a growing number of influencers continue to visit, including Keith Sinclair, an American driving around the world in a muscle car.

A young white man holding a rifle is standing beside two men: one in an Aghani traditional dress and an armed gunman.

Keith Sinclair (left) described having a “lovely first encounter” with the Taliban. Source: Instagram / sinclairs_search

In posts to his more than 300,000 Instagram followers, Sinclair is seen holding an assault rifle while posing beside Taliban members.

He also described having a “lovely first encounter” with the Taliban, while also criticising the group for its anti-LBGTIQ+ beliefs and restrictions on women.

American YouTuber Addison Pierre Maalouf, with nearly two million subscribers, has exaggerated claims, telling viewers Afghan women “have more rights than men.”

A child sits on the roof of his house in Kabul, Afghanistan.

Experts indicate that Afghanistan likely holds the worst women’s rights record globally since the Taliban regained power in August 2021. Source: AP / Ebrahim Noroozi

Another travel vlogger, Kieran Brown, encouraged his Instagram followers to book a “lads’ trip to Afghanistan”.

“Forget Ibiza or Marbella, why don’t you and the boys go to Afghanistan this summer?” he posted to his nearly 150,000 followers.

‘Very dark picture’

Human Rights Watch researcher Fereshta Abbasi said such posts are “very harmful” and misrepresent life for women under the Taliban.

“It’s a very dark picture,” she told SBS News.

Since the Taliban returned to power in August 2021, Abbasi said Afghanistan likely had the worst women’s rights record in the world.

“Women do not have access to freedom of movement, expression, freedom of assembly,” Abbasi said.

She pointed out female voices were almost entirely absent from influencer content.

“Most of these bloggers who are going to Afghanistan, they are not allowed to talk about bans on women’s right to education, bans on women’s access to employment. They’re not talking about any of this,” she said.

“If you cannot reflect that full picture, I think it’s better not to show.”

It’s that inevitable fate that forced Sydney student Gul Afroz Mohammadi to flee to Australia.

She was in India on a temporary scholarship when she heard about the fall of Kabul, destroying her plans to return home to her family.

A young woman with dark hair and wearing a dark suit jacket looks to her right.

Gul Afroz Mohammadi was forced to flee to Australia after the Taliban took over. Source: SBS News

The news came just before her final exam.

“The students were so upset, we didn’t even know what to write on our exam papers. All the girls were crying. It was a horrible time,” she said.

Mohammadi said the message some influencers are sending about Afghanistan is skewed.

“[The Taliban] do not impose the same restrictions on these individuals that they do on ethnic minorities and women in Afghanistan. These YouTubers visit for a few days and assume it is always like that,” she stated.

Women-only tours

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) advises Australians not to travel to Afghanistan due to the high risk of terrorism, kidnapping and arbitrary detention.

But that hasn’t deterred Sydney-based tour guide Paris Hailwood, who runs women-only trips to Afghanistan.

She told SBS News she promotes responsible tourism, which does not shy away from the realities of the Taliban, while also providing a much-needed boost to the country’s economy.

“The purpose [is] … obviously not to dispel the negative image of the Taliban,” she said.

“That’s very much present and a part of the conversation.”

A young blonde white woman wearing a black top.

Paris Hailwood said her women-only tours to Afghanistan promote responsible tourism. Source: SBS News

Hailwood said it was important for people to form their own opinions about the country, noting she had been welcomed despite Australia’s involvement in the United States-led war.

“It’s a country that we’ve heard so much about, and people really now have the opportunity to go and see it free of weapons and tanks and drones,” she said.

She has crossed paths with influencers and said she believed some were exploiting Afghan guides and fixers to capture content, leaving them vulnerable to Taliban reprisals.

“They leave knowing they’re never going to come back because they’ve got all the footage they need.”