Ethiopia is blessed with diversified natural and manmade tourist attractions. The nation is endowed with breathtaking tourist sites in all forms while moving from North to South, East to West and the vice versa. However, for the past decades the country has been generating lower from the tourism sector due to different challenges.
Nowadays, the country is determined to boost its tourism revenue hoping to obtain substantial income from this smokeless industry. Following this, various activities have been undertaken by the government to tap the untapped nation’s tourism potentials.
Obviously, Ethiopia is the leading country in Africa for inscribing more than 10 incredible tangible and intangible heritages on the UNESCO’s world heritage list for their religious, cultural, historic, and other forms of values.
Lucy, the cradle of mankind where humans first walked on two legs is originated from the country. The longest river Blue Nile makes its longest runoff and takes its largest water sourced from the country’s highland. The river is listed in the Bible being the origin of ancient civilization having a non-stop power of yearlong flow.
Not only that, the country is also the origin of remarkable, human made and unadulterated forefathers’ teachings and historical achievements. Parchment, notable religious art works as well as colourful street religious ceremonial occasions such as the UNESCO registered Meskel (The Founding of the True Cross) and Timket (Epiphany) are the colourful ones. Beyond this, the diversified natural and historical artefacts witness the level how the country is home to diversified, original, natural and manmade tracts.
To promote its tourism blessings, the country had been using the national tourism motto “Thirteen months of sunshine” for a longer period of time. However, the government and tourism experts reached an agreement of stepping up and promoting its tourism by publicizing it well and unreservedly. Thus the current serving new tourism motto “Land of origins” was announced.
The mysterious Rock Hewn Churches of Lalibela, the Gondar Castel, the obelisks of Axum, Tiya archaeological sites, among others are the country’s prominent tangible heritages registered under UNESCO list.
Recently, Wonchi Crater Lake has been selected as one of the ‘Best Tourism Villages 2021’ by UNWTO at the 24th General Assembly of the World Tourism Organization.
According to Tourism Ethiopia, perched on 140 Km from the capital Addis Ababa, Wonchi is an area of exceptional beauty where some have referred to it as the “African Switzerland”.
According to the UNWTO, a total of 44 villages from 32 countries across the five world regions were granted the recognition in 2021. All of them stand out for their natural and cultural resources as well as for their innovative and transformative actions and commitment to the development of tourism in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The selected villages said the best examples of villages embracing tourism to provide opportunity and drive sustainable development. The Best Tourism Villages by UNWTO initiative was launched to advance the role of tourism in safeguarding rural villages, along with their landscapes, natural and cultural diversity, and their local values and activities, including local gastronomy.
This initiative recognizes those villages committed to making tourism a strong driver of their development and wellbeing. The villages were evaluated by an independent Advisory Board based on a set of criteria covering nine areas. These includes cultural and natural resources, promotion and conservation of cultural resources, economic, social, and environmental sustainability as well as tourism potential and development; value chain integration, governance and prioritization of tourism, infrastructure and connectivity and health, safety and security.
Wonchi Crater Lake embraces a wonderful topography, forestation, and abundant water resource accessible for recreation and boat transport. Moreover, the lake is highly interconnected with the community. The farmers easily undertake their irrigation farming and grow bountiful fruits and vegetables from the fertile Wonchi soil.
Farmers are also seen leading their live peacefully inside the islands of the lake. The availability of numerous hot springs around the lake is also the other potentials to attract numerous tourists into the area.
What is more, the place is ideal for hiking. The community is known with various cultural ceremonial occasions, foods, dressing, among others that make Wonchi Crater Lake preferable among the trekkers. Due to its proximity to the capital Addis, numerous local and international tourists will have the opportunity to go to the area during their vacation and visit Wonchi. Wonchi is a new potential tourist destination that helps to rejuvenate the noisy lifestyle of the urban.
The ‘Best Tourism Villages’ by UNWTO pilot initiative aim to award those villages which are outstanding examples of rural destinations and showcase best practices in line with its specified nine evaluation areas. It also aims to support villages to enhance their rural tourism potential through training and access to opportunities for improvement.
The prestigious award was given on the occasion of the 24th session of the UNWTO General Assembly on December 2, 2021, in Madrid, Spain.
BY TEWODROS KASSA
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD DECEMBER 10/2021
