Sales in the center of Bamiyan province have always been good in the days leading up to Eid al-Adha, but this year, shopkeepers are concerned that because of the economic crisis, fewer tourists are visiting the province and locals do not have the money to shop.
Shopkeepers have said sales have been declining for the past two years.
One shopkeeper said he had been particularly hard hit as his target market was women – who are now not allowed to shop alone.
“Our sales have been reduced compared to previous years. We sell items for women and they are not allowed to come to the bazaar,” said the shopkeeper, Sayeed Jafar.
“There is no sign of sales [as it was before] as Eid is approaching,” said Haji Mohammad Dawood, another shopkeeper.
Meanwhile, many residents said that they could not afford to spend money in preparation for Eid due to financial problems.
“Usually, [the market was] crowded during Eid days, now the sales have declined, there are no sales even in a small amount or 50 percent of what it was before,” said Abbas, another shopkeeper at the main Bamiyan market.
Bamiyan, known for its abundant tourist attractions, has historically been a province in Afghanistan that attracts both domestic and foreign tourists.
However, as the residents of Bamiyan said, the number of tourists visiting the region has significantly decreased in recent years.
