ADDIS ABABA – Amhara State Culture and Tourism Bureau said the number of tourists visiting the state’s historical and natural tourist attractions has increased in July.
Melkamu Adamu, Bureau Tourism Development Directorate Director told The Ethiopian Herald that following the June 22 incident, the state has managed to fully restore peace and stability and the number of tourists who come to visit the state’s tourist destinations has increased.
The lakeside city of Bahir Dar, the historical cities of Gondar and Lalibela, as well as Debark (Semen Mountain National Park), are the top tourist destinations in the state that are seeing a surge in the number of foreign and local tourists.
In June, some 1,285 and 1,575 tourists have visited Lalibela and Bahir Dar. This number has increased to 2,320 and 3,787 respectively in July. Simien Mountain National Park and Gondar have also seen a surge in the number of tourists. The Amhara state of Ethiopia is home to many historical and natural World Heritage Sites such as the Simien Mountain National Park, Fasil Ghebbi (The Royal Enclosure and the remains of a fortress-city in Gondar) and the Rock- Hewn Churches of Lalibela.
World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) annual report stated that Ethiopia’s Travel and Tourism economy grew by 48.6 percent in 2018, the largest of any country in the world. Ethiopia experienced the highest tourism growth in the world, surpassing the global average growth rate of 3.9 percent and the African average of 5.6 percent. The Council stated that during the period, the sector supported 2.2 million jobs and contributed USD 7.4 billion to Ethiopia’s economy, an increase of USD 2.2 billion in 2017.
This was driven mainly by international visitor spending, to the country’s improved connectivity as a regional transport hub and to recent visa relaxation policies. The sector now represents 9.4 percent of Ethiopia’s total economy.
The Ethiopian Herald, August 22/2019
BY TSEGAYE TILAHUN
