CULTURE & TOURISM WORKING GROUP Leader: AFGHAN-AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE (AACC)
8201 Greensboro Drive, Suite103 McLean, VA 22102, U.S.A. Tel: +1 703 442 5005 | Fax: +1 703 442 5008 www.a-acc.org | info@a-acc.org
Ms. Cheryl Benard, Ph. D.
Workshop March 28, 2013 VA, U.S.A.
Culture Can Contribute to NationBuilding in Two Ways • It can rebuild a people’s identity and provide a new national direction after a crisis or a conflict • It can create business opportunities and jobs and become a pillar of the emerging economy
Narratives Can Shape Identity and Provide a New, Positive Direction • A narrative that gives preference to one ethnic or religious group over others, that emphasizes warfare and violence as the best ways to resolve a conflict, that harps on past grievances, is a recipe for ongoing trouble,
• A narrative that is inclusive, that offers role models from science, art and humanitarian benefit rather than fighters only, that emphasizes what the society has in common and the great things it can achieve in times of peace, can help create stability and bring communities together. This is especially critical in Afghanistan after so many decades of conflict, with a younger generation that has little to hold onto in terms of an inspiring national story.
Narratives Have Many Platforms
• Schoolbooks • Children’s books • Civic education • Popular media
Culture & Commerce
• Obviously, a country just emerging from a conflict cannot stand up a flourishing tourism opportunity
• However, there are many related business opportunities that do not require the physical presence of tourists in the conventional sense
• And, tourism requires preparation – it is not too early to start thinking about future opportunities and their requirements in terms of a trained labor force and infrastructure
Tourism in Afghanistan – Three Avenues
• Actual tourism • Preparation for tourism • Virtual tourism
Actual Tourism
• Under present circumstances, actual tourism in Afghanistan is “niche tourism” – adventure tourism, ex-pat local tourism, domestic tourism, and limited regional tourism • There is an emerging industry of small tour operators, hostels and hotels, travel agencies etc. These should be reviewed, catalogued and evaluated for growth potential. What do they need to become more successful? What can we learn from their experience?
Preparation for Tourism
• Conventional tourism, once it is able to commence, will require both a human and a physical infrastructure. Minimal training is taking place for hotel staff etc. • A baseline should be obtained and a needs assessment conducted. What will the principal destinations be? What already exists, and what will need to be put in place, for tourists to come? This includes the production of souvenirs, training of tour guides and service workers in hotels, hostels, restaurants, travel-related services. • This also includes heritage preservation, to ensure that an important future economic base is not recklessly damaged or destroyed.
Virtual Tourism
• Even without personally visiting Afghanistan, “armchair tourists” can be a considerable target market. • Products include virtual tours of archaeological sites, museums and special exhibitions; children’s books; travel blogs; participation in Wiki Loves Monuments and much more!
Suggested Actions of the Working Group
• Conduct a baseline survey of where the tourism industry currently stands in Afghanistan • Create a database of interested companies and entrepreneurs in the U.S., Afghanistan • Develop next steps for each of the three types of tourism
AFGHAN-AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE (AACC) 8201 Greensboro Drive, Suite 103 McLean, VA 22102, U.S.A. Tel: +1 703 442 5005 | Fax: +1 703 442 5008 www.a-acc.org| info@a-acc.org