ADDIS ABABA:- The proper implementation of the new dress code would help to preserving the hospitable culture of Ethiopians and reviving tourism industry, Addis Ababa Culture, Art and Tourism Bureau said.
The Bureau has organized a discussion forum yesterday with hotel owners, experts, media partners, and other relevant bodies on the recently ratified dress code that demands service providers to serve customers hospitality and maintain the standard appearance.
On the forum, Bureau Head, Hirut Kassaw (PhD) said that protecting country’s cultures and values is among the priority areas of the city administration to promote tourism.
“As Addis Ababa is becoming an international tourist destination, it needs to establish a dress code for service providers in the hospitality industry.”
Therefore, modernizing the tourism sector requires improving service delivery in line with the hospitable culture of the people, she added.
Although many of Ethiopia’s service providers including hotels, cafeterias, restaurants, and the likes are compliant with the country’s culture, Hirut mentioned that some irresponsible institutes are not preserving those hospitable values.
Therefore, she said the new code, which ratified recently in collaboration with Addis Ababa Justice Bureau and Addis Ababa Hotel Management Association, would force those irresponsible bodies to be abide by the law.
According to Addis Ababa Hotel Management Association Secretariat, Besufikad Debay, the metropolitan requires a dress code identical to the country’s culture, since it is crucial to promote the good image of the country and to attract visitors.
In addition to the new dress code, he stated that the city administration is undertaking various activities including the corridor development project so that tourist inflow is increasing.
The Secretariat elaborated that over 20 continental and global conferences have held in Addis this October showcasing the growing suitability of the city for conference tourism.
To keep the momentum, Besufikad expressed that service providers should preserve the country’s identity and its hospitable culture.
In this regard, he said, a combined effort is indispensable for the proper implementation of the dress.
The Association has promised to provide the necessary support to service providers in the metropolitan to achieve excellence in the hospitality sector, according to Besufikad.
BY MESERET BEHAILU
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD TUESDAY 19 NOVEMBER 2024
