ADDIS ABABA – Ministry of Culture and Tourism stated Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s recent global tourism award is fitting to the role he has played in improving the sector since coming to office.
Tariku Negash, senior communication expert with the ministry, said the contribution of the Premier in expanding tourist destination in the country, both in the rural and urban areas, will ultimately transform the sector. He noted that Ethiopia is a land of contrasts and extremes, of remote and wild places, and of wonder and enchantment, with one of the richest histories on the African continent.
Nevertheless, he continued, despite having such abundant historical, natural, cultural, and religious tourist-pullers, the country has not been able to gain what it should obtain from these touristic riches, due to limited attention and lack of conducive environment to promote and use tourism destinations. However, currently the Premier has motivated the public to use these natural and man-made resources in the proper way.
He stressed that as a result of the attention given to the sector, the Premier has allocated huge amount of budget for the sector. “Before his administration took power, the highest annual budget that had been allocated for the sector was eighty million Birr, but more than one hundred thirty million Birr has been allocated for the sector in this fiscal year alone.”
As to Tariku, the allowing of on arrival visa, the launching of anchor projects like the ‘Sheger project’ in Addis Ababa, and the plan to open the two Palaces for tourism, among other initiatives, are a few among his contribution. The Premier has said that several projects that can attract tourists will be carried out in Addis Ababa and around the country, in the new coming year of 2019/2020. Chief among them is the comprehensive maintenance and additional construction activities that are taking place to restore both Palaces, and eventually turn them to leading tourist attraction sites.
It is learnt that the award will be presented to the Prime Minister in November in London. On August 7, the President of the World Tourism Forum, Bulut Bagci, has said that he is willing to promote collaborative projects with Ethiopia, to increase the development of the tourism sector in the country.
The Ethiopian Herald, August 28/2019
BY TAMERU REGASA
