In a significant development for Afghanistan’s hospitality sector, the Taliban are set to take control of the Serena Hotel, which is the only luxury hotel located in Kabul. This transition marks over ten years since a violent incident at the hotel resulted in the deaths of nine individuals, including foreign nationals.
On Friday, the management of the Serena Hotel announced that it would cease operations in Kabul as of February 1. The Hotel State Owned Corporation, which operates under the supervision of the Afghan finance ministry, will assume control of the establishment.
At the time of this announcement, there was no response from the finance ministry regarding the takeover. Furthermore, details concerning the arrangements of this transition have not been disclosed by either the Serena Hotel or the Taliban-led government.
The Serena Hotel has previously been a target for attacks attributed to the Taliban, with significant incidents occurring in 2008 and 2014. Notably, Sirajuddin Haqqani, the acting Interior Minister, has publicly recognized his involvement in planning the 2008 attack, which resulted in eight fatalities, including that of American citizen Thor David Hesla.
A statement from the Serena Hotel, which is part of a brand managed by the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development, highlighted its contributions to the Afghan workforce, having trained thousands of local staff and served numerous foreign dignitaries while upholding high standards in hospitality. In light of this change, the hotel has directed inquiries to the Hotel State Owned Corporation. Subsequently, Kabul has been removed as a destination from the Serena’s official website.
As per information available on the finance ministry’s website, the mission of the Hotel State Owned Corporation is to revive and boost the hotel industry in Afghanistan. Currently, the corporation manages three additional hotels, including two located in Kabul and one in Nangarhar province.
Tourism official Mohammad Saeed previously expressed his aspirations for Afghanistan to emerge as a notable hub for tourism. In a previous effort to attract international guests, the Serena Hotel had reopened its women-only spa and salon after a prolonged closure, a move that was later reversed due to external pressures from authorities.
Under the current Taliban regime, women’s access to various public spaces, including gyms and parks, has been severely restricted. Additionally, authorities have mandated the closure of beauty salons, claiming that the services they provide conflict with Islamic principles.
