Turkmenistan’s tourism delusion remains just that

Dusty dirt roads have given way to smooth asphalt highways and marble sidewalks. Natural beach surroundings have been sculpted into carefully manicured parks. Behold the transformed Awaza, a luxurious resort town that looms as the centerpiece of President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov’s dreams of building world-class tourism infrastructure in Turkmenistan.

Despite these excellent facilities, it appears that foreign visitors are not yet thronging to Turkmenistan.