CULTURE — April 18, 2026
Afghanistan Records 6.2 Million Domestic, Nearly 10,000 Foreign Tourists in Solar Year 1404
The Ministry of Information and Culture reported that 6.2 million domestic and nearly 10,000 foreign tourists visited Afghanistan's attractions in solar year 1404. The ministry also issued and renewed licenses for tourism companies, monitored businesses, extended visas and supported handicraft companies.
The Ehtebar Desk — originates with RTA — corroborated by Pajhwok and Bakhtar News — 2 min read
The Ministry of Information and Culture of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan reported that approximately 6.2 million domestic tourists and nearly 10,000 foreign tourists visited the country's recreational places, natural attractions and historical sites during solar year 1404.
The ministry issued 656 new licenses to tourism and pilgrimage companies and renewed 146 licenses during the year for a total of 802. It evaluated 3,025 companies and guesthouses.
The ministry extended visas for 148 foreign tourists. It supported 135 handicraft companies by enabling them to participate in exhibitions at free or discounted rates.
Ministry spokesman Khabib Ghafran provided the statistics, which were corroborated across independent Afghan media reporting the official release. Minor variations appeared in how outlets presented the monitoring and licensing breakdowns but the core figures remained consistent.
Read the original reporting at RTA →
Reliability assessment
All three independent outlets corroborate the Ministry of Information and Culture's official release of tourism statistics for solar year 1404 (core event), with RTA directly attributing details to named spokesperson Khabib Ghafran. Minor differences in phrasing, rounding, and which details are included are normal in multi-source reporting and do not undermine the underlying event.
The source language reads straight.
Across the newsrooms
Where reports agree
- All three outlets report official figures from the Ministry of Information and Culture for solar year 1404 showing around 6.2 million domestic tourists and nearly 10,000 foreign tourists visiting sites
- All sources confirm 148 foreign tourist visas were extended
- All sources confirm new and renewed licenses for tourism/pilgrimage companies and monitoring of guesthouses and companies
- The core event is an official ministry statement on tourism statistics, consistently covered by independent Afghan media
Where reports differ
- RTA combines new/renewed licenses into a single total of 802 while Bakhtar and Pajhwok report the split (656 new, 146 renewed)
- Slight variation in monitoring figures: Bakhtar says 3,000 companies, Pajhwok says more than 3,000 companies plus 25 guesthouses, RTA says 3,025 tourism companies and guesthouses combined
- Only Bakhtar News and Pajhwok mention the 135 handicraft companies participating in exhibitions; RTA omits this detail
Filed by 3 outlets
RTA
Originating
Reported straight
Reported straight
Pajhwok
Reported straight
Reported straight
Bakhtar News
Reported straight
Reported straight
Filed under
Culture — Tourism, Ministry of Information and Culture, Historical Sites, Solar Year 1404, Handicrafts
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