Addressing the House of Peoples’ Representatives (HPR), and the House of Federation (HoF), in her opening speech on the establishing session of the new government, President Sahlework Zewudie said that the economic reforms that have taken place over the past three years have had a significant impact on rescuing and revitalizing the economy. In light of the natural and man-made challenges faced during the implementation of the economic reform, the measures taken have been almost entirely effective.
As to the president, In order to develop the resources available in the tourism sector, existing destinations need to be strengthened by enhancing heritage conservation work and improving the service delivery of the sector. New tourist attractions will also be developed. The development of Gorgora, Wonchi and Koisha tourist destinations launched at ‘Gebeta Le Hager’ or ‘Dine for the Country’ project will continue as planned.
It is also useful to develop natural resources and tourist destinations in different parts of the country. All regions, zones, woredas and city administrations should emulate what Addis Ababa has attained with the good practice of developing tourist destination parks. Unfinished projects started in different parts of the country will be completed this year and will be available to benefit citizens. By expanding the supply of drinking water, sanitation and hygiene, the service will benefit the underserved population. In particular, Abay, the source of Ethiopians’ regret and sadness for many years for its not being of national use is now being harnessed and is reaching the final stages of rescuing Ethiopians from the darkness this year after so much sacrifice and diplomatic battles.
According to President Sahlework, the newly established government has given due priority to the tourism sector. The newly developed tourist destinations and the GERD completions ought to be potential tourist attraction sites. So far, the president announced that there will be further new tourist destinations to be developed across the country.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed also highlighted the tourism potential of the country but needs visionary mind to develop and make the sector beneficial. As to him, the country is endowed with lots of natural resources that include the amazing landscape. Investing on the sector will engage vast number of citizens that need job. Beyond its economic benefit, the sector plays pivotal role in promoting Ethiopia to the rest of the world.
Timely completion of the construction of the recently launched tourist attractions; Gorgora, Wonchi and Koisha and developing others is essential in this regard.
Recently, Addis Ababa Chamber of Commerce and Sectorial Association (AACCSA) held a panel discussion themed “The Impact of COVID-19 on the Tourism and Hospitality Industry” participating experts from Commercial Bank of Ethiopia, Ethiopian Airlines, Ethiopian Hotel Owners Association, private sector operators and Ministry of Culture and Tourism as well as other stakeholders.
AACCSA Secretary General Getachew Regassa said that the COVID-19 pandemic has hugely affected the country’s tourism and hospitality sector. The sector is a source of the largest job opportunities to the youth and women. The outbreak of the pandemic caused large financial losses on hotels, tour operators, lodges, cultural centers, among others.
According to him, the country’s education policy is expected to create competent professionals in the tourism sector towards tapping the untapped tourism potentials. And such panel discussions should continue to gather and share best ideas for policy makers to develop the country’s tourism endowments and sought to create a forum for sector professionals as well as pertinent stakeholders’ engagement.
According to Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Ethiopia has a big size of population with diversified cultures that makes it an ideal tourist destination. So the country should also focus on inward looking programmes in terms of developing, promoting and expanding local tourism. The Ministry in its duties and powers is playing a decisive role for a concerted and multipurpose effort to be undertaken by the people and stakeholders in the development of tourism and culture. Since the tourism industry is now globally lucrative and one of the largest business in the world economy, preparation of various regulations, directives in order to study, preserve, control, register and conduct inventory of tangible and intangible cultural heritages apart from quality control and classification of standards in tourism area are some of the major areas that the Ministry focused in the 10-year strategic plans so that Ethiopia could be able to benefit the most out of the sector.
Ministry of Culture and Tourism Advisor to the Minister Yisfalign Habte for his part said that stimulating domestic tourism is fundamental to replace the income generated from the international tourists’ inflow during this COVID-19 pandemic. Organizing the tourism sector under independent Ministry, the ongoing new tourist destinations development, pilot projects in Addis Ababa, the reviving domestic tourism, financial sectors’ readiness to avail funds for tourism infrastructures, among others are the new hope for the country’s tourism, he added.
More importantly, the multi-sector collaboration and partnerships between travel agents, hotels, resorts, lodges, and transport service providers, financial institutions, Ministry of Tourism and other stakeholders is needed to reinvigorate the country’s tourism.
The Ethiopia government has taken various measures to mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic impact in the tourism sector through instructing the National Bank to support the tourism sector community by easing payment modalities of their loans, availing special funds with very minimum interest rate, and extension of loans during pandemic era.
According to the United Nation World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the development of tourism in some States is dependent on exclusively on the possibilities and the availability of air services. The tourism development agenda is inextricably linked with that of air transport. Tourism represents not only air transport’s primary end user, but it offers a unique opportunity for economic growth and development for all nations and particularly for least developed countries.
Ethiopia having the most competitive airline in the world and the largest in Africa is expected to harness its tourism potential via transporting a largest number of international tourists from different corners of the world into the country.
Ethiopian International Services Managing Director Lemma Yadecha said that the airline has been undertaking successive measures to promote the country’s tourism sector. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has hugely affected the international air travel, limited passengers’ traffic, decreases the airline’s revenue, and caused large financial losses both on the air transportation and tourism sectors.
According to him, the airline set up various ET Specials offers to attract numerous international tourists to Ethiopia. The Et-Holiday offers includes historical tours, cultural tours, nature and adventure tours, stopover tours, trekking and hiking tours, festival tours, bird watching tours, leisure tours, coffee tours as well as bike tours. Most of the international tourists are utilizing the Et-Holiday offers to visit the Ethiopian Timket and Ethiopian Meskel holiday celebrations.
In addition, the airline has brought different influencers; journalists, bloggers, CEOs, among others to visit Ethiopia by sponsoring their cost towards familiarizing and marketing the country’s tourism potentials. In the past, the airline offered various opportunities to visit Ethiopia for influencers from Russia, France, Kenya, India, and Congo as well as other countries.
More importantly, the airline will continue contributing its part towards stimulating the country’s tourism sector through fulfilling its part.
The experts recommended that Ethiopia, the Land of Origins is truly a country of great and untapped tourism potentials yet to be developed. Giving more attention to domestic tourism and incorporating domestic tour package by tour operators and hotels help to promote domestic tourism. Lack of organized tour plans, marketing, and incentives for domestic tourism limits the country not to gain more from the sector. Religious journeys, cultural holiday celebrations, recreation, and family visiting are leading in the country’s domestic tourism. Strengthening ‘Hagerhn Ewok’ (Know Your Country) Schools’ tour clubs and promoting awareness about the value of domestic tourism cultivates the sector competitiveness and support the national economy.
Having effective strategies and public-private partnerships helps to harness the untapped domestic tourism sector potentials. However, considering the ease of generating hard currency, private investors prioritize the international tourists that resulted in poor domestic tourism expansion.
The development of new tourist destinations, the growing impact of the Ethiopian airline in the aviation industry, availability of diversified UNESCO registered tangible and intangible heritages, its comfy climate, among others makes Ethiopia to be one of the preferred tourist destinations during the post COVID-19 era.
BY TEWODROS KASSA
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD OCTOBER 10/2021
