KABUL: The Ministry of Information and Culture says that during the past year (1404), 6.2 million domestic tourists and 10,000 foreign visitors toured recreational areas, tourist attractions, and historical sites across the country.
According to a statement released by the ministry on Saturday, new licenses were issued to 656 tourism and pilgrimage companies, while the licenses of 146 others were renewed.
The statement also noted that 135 handicraft companies were introduced to various exhibitions free of charge and with discounts during the year.
In addition to 25 guesthouses, around 3,000 tourism and pilgrimage companies were monitored throughout the year, and visas of 148 foreign tourists were extended, said the statement.
This comes, in less than the first month of the current year, particularly during the early days of the new year and Eid al-Fitr, hundreds of thousands of domestic tourists visited recreational and tourist sites across different provinces of Afghanistan.