As a land of Origin, Ethiopia has not been earning the entire benefit package of the tourism sector due to the less attention paid to the sector especially by the government. However, the new homegrown economic reform has made tourism one of its priorities.
The good news was told on the recent First National Hotel and Tourism Conference held at Sheraton Addis Hotel by Deputy Prime Minister Demeke Mekonnen. The conference was about how to attract tourists to visit Ethiopia and assist the nation to earn more hard currency besides introducing Ethiopia’s heritages.
In responding to: “Why Ethiopia is not benefiting fully from its untapped tourism potential?” one of the questions rose by the participants of the conference, he stated that “the economic reform of the country gives emphasis to agriculture, manufacturing, mining and tourism.” He added that creating conducive tourist destination and ensuring peace and security is necessary to attract more tourists.
Culture and Tourism Minister, Dr. Hirut Kassa on her part also said that the government is ready to provide necessary support for investors engaged in the sector adding that efforts will be exerted to modernize the tourism industry and stop illicit flow of artifacts and promote home-grown resources.
The sector has the potential to create enormous job opportunities and the revenue obtained from the sector could not be less than the revenue obtained from export. Ensuring quality service and working with concerned bodies are crucial for continuous development and to boost tourism.
The hotel industry plays a great role to introduce cultural heritages and the ministry is working to make this industry strong and well developed. “We have a plan to assess hotels efforts in including our cultural clothing, foods and handicrafts,” she noted.
Therefore, now, the tourism industry has gained the top government concern to promote the sector as one of the pillars of the homegrown economic reform if the stakeholders are to exploit the governments will completely.
A hospitality consultant and several of the hotels approached by The Ethiopian Herald are optimistic to the new homemade reform with the sincerity of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
Ethiopians are well known by their good hospitality to foreigners and respect to one another. To fully demonstrate this, hotel and tourism sector have main role starting from welcoming tourists in the airport and until they finish their tour, Hospitality Consultant, Neway Birhanu states.
Neway furthers that hotels have the capacity to attract tourists and collect hard currency but first they must be built in a good standard.
The government’s attention is essential in standardizing the sector. “If the country have international branded hotels, tourists would have interest to visit and to spend their money to see different culture and buy handicrafts,” he adds.
Hospitality training centers are also recommended to modernize the industry and having many tourists to introduce our culture; therefore, the government should follow up the local and international capacity building strategies of the hotels.
Likewise, Ghion Hotel Marketing Manager, Alemayehu Woldeyohannes also says that the hotel is working to introduce Ethiopian culture appreciating the government’s attention to the sector.
“Hotels have to include national dishes to their menus. There is a special restaurant called national center; waiters are beautified by cultural clothes. All our dishes are only Ethiopian foods served by traditional plate ‘Mesob’.”
Hotels also need to provide tourists opportunities to buy different Ethiopian handicrafts like Ghion Hotel, Alemayehu states adding that all hotels should think the goodwill of the nation besides earning money.
Likewise Hilton Hotel is one of the best models of hotels those are working on introducing Ethiopian heritages. It shows some structure of Fasiledes, Aksum and Lalibela. There are different handicrafts shops and they introduce Ethiopian foods in the buffet.
Moreover, one international private hotel’s marketing manager who did not want to be named on has seen the government’s priority in the sector as a critical opportunity insisting hotels to work to the standard.
The Ethiopian Herald Sept 13/2019
BY BETHLEHEM ASFAW
