Oasis amidst war, Afghan valley looks to tourism

By HEIDI VOGT ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER In this photo taken Wednesday, June 17, 2009, women walk past the cliffs that once held giant Buddhas destroyed by the Taliban in 2001 in Bamiyan, central Afghanistan. In an attempt to return one small part of the country to normalcy government officials and international donors are promoting tourism to attract visitors to the Bamiyan area. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul) BAMIYAN, Afghanistan -- There's a new building in town, and it isn't a military barracks or a hospital. It's a Tourist Information Center. Even as troops fight militants in the south, government officials and donors in Afghanistan's central Bamiyan valley are training tour guides and teaching restaurateurs about customer service. It's an attempt to draw tourism and return one small part of Afghanistan to normalcy. The challenges... [read full story]                    

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