DUSHANBE, 30.11.2019 (NIAT Khovar) – An analytical journalist and political scientist Andrei Zakhvatov recently posted a photo on his Facebook page with a caption: “A tourist from Europe to Tajikistan.” Sharing this photo now, Khovar will be adding a new feature section called Photo-Fact.

“In order to see this beauty you need to fly thousands of kilometers.

Tajikistan is a beautiful country with hospitable people. This is not a  dangerous country. No need to lie that crowds come and attack from Afghanistan. There are 7,000 Russian military at the 201st base there. And the Chinese give a lot of money to guard the border – they already have a large economy in Tajikistan. To catch marinka or trout in such a river is a great pleasure! I was fishing there!” notes Zakhvatov, commenting on the safety and beauty of Tajikistan.

Everything seen in this photo is familiar to us. Both the beautiful autumn landscape of our mountainous country and this tourist girl, although we did not see her personally and do not even know who she is and from which European country she hailed. We only know that the influx of tourists to Tajikistan is increasing every year. The government is paying a lot of attention to tourism development.

President Emomali Rahmon announced 2018 as the Year of Tourism Development and Folk Crafts, as well as 2019-2021 as the Periods of Rural Development, Tourism and Folk Crafts.

Just in one year, in 2018, the number of tourists visiting Tajikistan increased 2.5 times. Among them are many Europeans who come to cycles, ride mopeds or their motorcycles.

Andrei Zakhvatov is a Russian analytical journalist and political scientist. He was born and raised in the city of Istaravshan, Tajikistan.