ADDIS ABABA – The Ministry of Culture and Tourism announced that it has secured over 1.4 billion USD from tourists’ inflow in the past six months. Ministry Public and International Relations Director Gezahagn Abate told The Ethiopian Herald that within the past six months some 380, 376 tourists have visited the country and over 1.4 billion USD was generated.
As to him, the number of tourists visiting the country is showing a promising progress year after year. “Tourists’ inflow increment highly relies on the relative peace and stability, service digitization efforts of the sector, preferable air transportation [Ethiopian], and access to competitive hospitality and accommodation services.” Mentioning that tourist service providers [hotel and tour operators] are witnessing a remarkable progress in the number of international tourist customers throughout the country better than the past year, he noted.
According to him, Ethiopia though is endowed with immense natural and manmade tourist attractions, the number of tourists’ visiting the country is still below the expected rate. He said that the Ministry in cooperation with pertinent bodies is undertaking successive measures to meet the objective of generating more income from tourism, adding that, promoting peace and world class services are fundamental to flourish tourism.
Currently, plus to 560 legal tour operators are actively operating in the sector, he said. Mentioning that he has been working in the sector for the past 25 years, Explore Ethiopia Travel and Tours PLC owner Fikresilassie Admasu said that currently the number of foreign tourists flowing to the country is increasing from day to day.
The ‘no war no peace situation’ sustained for years between Ethiopia and Eritrea was the hardest time for him and his business as the diplomatic community warned their respective citizens not to travel beyond 100 kilo meters radius out of Addis Ababa, he added. As to him, the hardest time for him and his business was the no war no peace situations that had persisted between Ethiopia and Eritrea for years as the diplomatic community warned their respective citizens not to travel beyond 100 kilo meters radius out of Addis Ababa.
However, after the peace deal made between the two countries, there is a big difference in tourist inflow, he indicated. “This year is the safest period in the Ethiopian tourism since I joined the sector”. However, there are plenty of assignments to be done by the Ministry and other pertinent government bodies and private organizations regarding to marketing and promotions works to harness the full potential of the sector, Fikresilassie emphasized.
The Ethiopian Herald, March 27/2019
BY TEWODROS KASSA
