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.
Historically, Ethiopians were known with religious pilgrimage to the birth place of God and the center of Christian religious preaching in Bethlehem and Jerusalem. Thus, it was common to see numerous Ethiopians traveling to Israel during Easter.
However, in recent years the number of religious travelers from one part of the country to the other is increasing in the country. The annual religious trip is also attracting numerous local and international tourists.
The following are the major religious pilgrimage sites with a larger number of travel records in the past few years.
Genna at the Rock-Hewn Churches of Lalibela
The Rock-Hewn Churches of Lalibela is found in Lalibela, a town in the Amhara region of northern Ethiopia. The place is known for its distinctive rock-cut churches dating from the 12th and 13th centuries, which are pilgrimage sites for Coptic Christians. Carved out of rock, the subterranean monoliths include huge Bete Medhane Alem, and cross-shaped Bete Giyorgis.
Genna is annually celebrated colourfully at Lalibela with a get-together of local and international tourists.
Timket celebration at Fasiledes Bath in Gonder
Timket is annually celebrated with huge attendants of local and international tourists in Gonder Fasiledes Bath. Ethiopians give priority to celebrate the day with more colourful events. The Gonder Timket celebration is unique and more colourful than the other parts of the country. Thus, a large number of people annually visit Gonder in connection with the event.
Saint Gabriel celebration at Kulubi
The festival of Saint Gabriel is celebrated on every December 28 (Tahsas) 19 Ethiopian calendar at Kulubi Gabriel which culminates in a pilgrimage to the area. The biggest Ethiopian Orthodox Church festival Kulubi Gabriel (Saint Gabriel) is among the leading Ethiopian religious pilgrimage sites. The location marks the colourful processions and exclusive ceremonies. The small town is located near Dire Dawa. The famed ancient church was built over a century ago.
The annual festival hosts more than 100,000 people from around Ethiopia who hike up in the hill holding their gifts to the ancient church.
Saint Mary Zion Monastery celebration
in Axum
The Axum Zion celebration of Saint Mary is also among the leading Christian pilgrimage sites in Ethiopia. The celebration takes place annually on 30th November. The monastery’s power of sanctification and the ceremonial process by the Axum priests makes Saint Zion to be among the preferable destination of the worshippers. The monastery is believed to be home to the Ark of the Covenant. Axum is also the birth place of Ethiopian Saint Yared who is the mastermind of Ethiopian Orthodox Church songs and Ethiopian music. Some Ethiopians referred Axum as a blessed city.
According to Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Ethiopia has a big size of population with diversified cultures that makes it an ideal tourist destination. To this end, the country is home to diversified religious and cultural festivals that attracts numerous local and international tourists. Giving more focus on inward looking programs in terms of developing, promoting and expanding local tourism sought to advance the country’s endeavors to sustainable development.
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 to benefit Ethiopia out of the sector.
More importantly, stimulating domestic tourism is fundamental to replace the income generated from the international tourists’ inflow during this COVID-19 pandemic.
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
BY TEWODROS KASSA
The Ethiopian Herald 22 April 2022
