For many decades, tourism in Ethiopia has remained underdeveloped as it is constrained not only by time and space but also by lack of diversification, creativity or imagination. While experts often talk about modernization in other sectors of the economy, they often avoid the tourism sector in their discaussions or strategic planning. There is no detailed plan or vision or activities geared towards the modernization of the sector. Recent talks about conference tourism or cultural tourism were spontaneous rather than planned and their contents are not yet elaborated, supported or presented with a clear strategic approach. As a result of this, diversification and development has failed to attract the attention of the major players in the sector.
Usually, the months from December to February in Ethiopia are months when tourism flourished again after the rainy season that ends by August. This was followed by the Ethiopian New Year festivities. Conventionally, the rainy season has never been a season of tourism activities. The rains make it difficult for the promotion of tourism as many rural roads were swamped and movement was limited to the all weather roads. As an unwritten rule, tourists prefer the dry or sunny season to schedule their visits for obvious reasons. One of the main explanation was that tourists from Western countries use this time to escape from the raging winter, the cold and the snow that make life a little bit miserable.
According to one study, “Ethiopia as a nation is endowed with various natural, cultural and historical heritages that enable the country to be a destination for many tourism, attractions, and cultural events and is also gifted with friendly climatic conditions. The capital Addis Ababa with an average altitude more than 2,400 meters is conducive for tourists in its natural tourism segment due to it’s being considered as a “naturally air conditioned” city.
I recently argued in this same column by saying that Addis Ababa as a potential tourist destination started to attract public attention only recently as the city started to grow, expand and show its potentials as a promising tourism destination. Conference and cultural tourism could be promoted, particularly in Addis Ababa which is fast become a hub for this kind of tourism in Africa. There are many cities in Africa that have already become famous tourist attractions. We can learn important lessons from these success stories. What is important is to be ready to learn from other African cities and use these lessons creatively so that they attain their intended objects. This is often easier said than done and commitment is the number one requirement to make the whole thing a success story in cultural tourism.
Although there is no available study as to the potentials of Addis Ababa as a tourism destination, conventional wisdom tells us that the city could be the staging ground for various forms of tourist activities. As the tourism season is starting, the focus should turn to the Ethiopian capital which is the venue for the amazing religious festivities of Timket which is one of the most attractive occasions for orthodox Christianity in Ethiopia to display its cultural and traditional celebrations that are popular not only here at home but also across the world. Tourists from around the globe are usually fascinated by the amazing displays of religious passions and traditional heritages. This is also the season when foreign tourists converge on the city in great numbers simply to witness the unfolding of this most important occasion.
Addis Ababa is no doubt a melting pot of all the cultures and traditions available in the country at large. Addis can also be described as “Little Ethiopia” as far its cultural profile is concerned. Tourists have the opportunity to learn a great deal about the entire country simply by visiting the various museums and exhibition centers, bars and restaurants in the city. Many if not most traditional, secular or religious celebrations that take place in the remote regions are also observed here in Addis both privately and publicly. Tourists have the opportunity to know about the beverage and culinary tourism of the country by simply visiting the various hotels and restaurants in the capital specializing in foods and beverages from the various regions.
Addis Ababa has thus a vast potential for promoting culinary or food tourism at least during the annual festivities. Culinary tourism or food tourism and sometimes called gastronomy tourism is perhaps the least known or least practiced type of tourism. Culinary tourism is defined as “the exploration of food as the purpose of tourism. It is considered a vital component of the tourism experience Dining out is common among tourists and “food is believed to rank alongside climate, accommodation and scenery in importance to tourists.” Culinary tourism is a relatively recent phenomenon in the tourism business which was only launched as recently as 2001.
Culinary tourism is almost unknown or so far neglected in Ethiopia although foreign tourists are usually appreciative of Ethiopia’s cultural heritages some of which are globally known and appreciated as many of them are registered as world heritage sites and practices. Culinary tourism which is considered “a subset of cultural tourism” because cuisine is a manifestation of culture and therefore relatively easier to be embraced and practiced as it is part and parcel of cultural tourism and that Ethiopia has a high standing in international cultural tourism.
Unfortunately, tourism development in Ethiopia is limited not only by time but also by space or geography. Most tourist activities are concentrated on the northern parts of the country where traditional destinations are concentrated. This is also determined by history, tradition and culture. Axum, Lalibela and other towns or venues are celebrated for their rich tourism potentials.
Although there are many potentially lucrative tourism destinations that are located in the eastern and southern parts of the country, such as the historic walled city of Harar, or the flora and fauna on the Bale mountains or the indigenous culture of Ivangadi in South Omo zone, to name but only a few of them, the lopsided growth of tourism has made it difficult to put the focus on. While these destinations could be potentially lucrative, exclusive focus on traditional destinations has made it impossible for the sector to benefit from modernization and diversification. Tourism is usually described as a smokeless industry that could be promoted with relatively small investment.
According to recent studies, “The tourism industry is one of the strongest sectors in the economy of most developed countries. However, in developing countries, like Ethiopia, the sector has not had visible impact on its economy. The revenues generated from tourism, are not reinvested in the sector. Moreover, the modernization of the sector requires a new vision and a new strategic approach which has not yet materialized. As experts often point out, the growth of tourism depends on the long term vision and the capacity to evaluate opportunities that requires appropriate policy, planning, investment, strategic alliances and strategic management.”
One of the limitations of tourism development in Ethiopia is the inward looking attitudes of the tourism policy planners and actors who are reluctant to learn from the best practices of other countries in the region or globally. Tourism in Africa could be developed by learning from the best practices of African countries, both at regional and continental levels. Let us take the example of Kenya, our nearest neighbor, whose tourism sector is one of the most developed and most lucrative in the world.
While Ethiopian tourism is still stuck in old patterns and the appetite for modernization is not yet available, our Kenyan counterparts have developed what we make call, “nature tourism” or tourism based on the grasslands, lakes and hills that are ideal places for tourist fond of hunting wild animals or trekking through the amazing natural landscapes. Ethiopia is endowed not only in traditional tourism based on visiting historic sites and heritages. There are also ample opportunities for promoting nature tourism whether in the highlands or the lowlands where exotic and wild animals are largely available for visitors.
The other constraint of Ethiopian tourism development is its failure to attract private investment or private initiative. Tourism should not be regarded as an industry that can be developed through the exclusive “ownership” of government institutions. It should rather be seen as a sector open to all the potential actors and mainly private investors who should be encouraged to put their money into selected areas and according to their preferences. They should also enjoy from the generous incentives from government offices entrusted or related to tourism development. These investors should not only be limited to building hotels and recreational centers but should also be involved in the promotion of small scale or cottage industries specializing in the production of souvenir items that are in high demand by foreign visitors.
Most of all, informed discussions should be encouraged dealing with the challenges, opportunities and the problems of modernizing Ethiopian tourism. The main actors in the sector should be encouraged or invited to be more extrovert and come out with concrete plans and initiative to awaken the still dormant giant of Ethiopian tourism.
BY MULUGET GUDETA
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD SATURDAY 21 DECEMBER 2024
