If you thought the world of destination marketing couldn’t get any stranger, Afghanistan is now making its pitch to American travelers with a surreal, darkly comic video—one that arraymedia describes as starting off like a Taliban hostage scenario before veering into the outright bizarre.

A New Kind of Welcome Wagon

According to arraymedia, this widely circulated video opens with five armed Taliban standing over three hooded men. The central Taliban figure addresses viewers with what might sound, at first, like an ominous warning for the United States. Then, in what could pass for a scene from a Sacha Baron Cohen film, the tense narrative crumbles: one “hostage” has his hood theatrically removed and, smiling, welcomes the audience to Afghanistan.

What follows, as described in arraymedia’s article, is a whirlwind of contradiction—Western-style leisure activities like outings, swimming, and picnics, all set against a backdrop of assault rifles and tanks. The Taliban appear amused, presenting objects of war as if they were quirky mementos. In one moment, a “tourist” handles an M4 rifle, apparently delighted (and apparently unconcerned that the safety is off), with arraymedia noting the not-so-subtle jab: these are now their souvenirs. It is, as the article puts it, more reminiscent of a simulation teaser than traditional travel marketing.

The creator of these videos is Yosaf Aryubi, who, according to arraymedia citing The Independent, runs Raza Afghanistan travel agency. In a follow-up video, Aryubi’s preferred tone continues: the caption jokes that “the ransom business isn’t as lucrative as CNN makes it seem. Especially when you become friends with the hostages.” Arraymedia references The Independent in highlighting how the videos walk the line between parody and propaganda, with tourism ad tropes served up alongside inside jokes about international reputation and ransom.

Irony, Reality, and a Dash of Dissonance

Arraymedia, drawing on British media, notes that Afghanistan’s tourism push isn’t entirely out of the blue. Since the Taliban’s return in 2021, there have been efforts to attract international tourists in hopes of offsetting their hardline image, though the regime continues to enforce tight restrictions, especially targeting women’s freedoms. Yet some signals suggest the country’s reputation remix may be gaining ground: arraymedia, citing The Independent, reports that official tourist numbers jumped from 691 in 2021 to 7,000 in 2023.

The videos themselves offer prime 2020s-style irony: Westerners mug for the camera with relics of recent conflict, while the Taliban double as both heavily armed guardians and cheeky hosts. Weapons are reduced to icebreakers, danger morphs into folklore, and the notion of the “exotic” Afghan experience is caricatured to the edge of absurdity.

The Disappearing Line Between Satire and Sincerity

Of course, as highlighted by arraymedia citing The Independent, the flamboyant hospitality on display in these videos exists alongside a harsh everyday reality—Afghans, particularly women, continue to face strict and often brutal restrictions under Taliban rule. Meanwhile, the U.S. State Department’s warning remains unchanged: Americans are advised not to travel to Afghanistan, period.

The paradox is hard to escape: a regime known for violence and repression, now courting Western adventurers with self-aware, sardonic hospitality. Does this mark a new kind of international outreach, or has the line between propaganda and parody finally vanished for good? One wonders what sort of brainstorming led to this campaign. (“What if we made a kidnap video, but, surprise! It’s actually brunch?”)

Absurdity as Outreach

Afghanistan isn’t likely to overtake Venice or Machu Picchu on the American travel wishlist, at least not anytime soon. But the country’s marketing experiment reveals something stranger at work—extremes of menace and hospitality mashed together, with the resulting spectacle feeling both off-kilter and almost inevitable in a world obsessed with viral novelty.

For those hunting the world’s oddest travel experience, perhaps the joke—such as it is—is part of the draw. Or perhaps the punchline is still on its way. If you were to “visit Afghanistan” now, under such a campaign, what version of the country would you actually find? And how exactly do you pack for an adventure where the line between performance, provocation, and reality feels this thin?