BY ZEKARIAS WOLDEMARIAM
In his latest response to questions from parliamentarians, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD) has dwelt on among other things on the governments endeavor to expand ecotourism projects throughout the country. Accordingly he stated that the projects in Koisha, Wonchi, Gorgora are already going smoothly. He further noted that apart from these the government is undertaking planning and design work of additional projects in various parts of the country.
These projects are being executed without ordinary government budget, rather with investment secured through gala dinners entitled ‘Dinner” for the national, and now dinner for the generation. They are believed to have significant contribution to boost the country’s economy through eco-tourism as well as minimize the threat from climate change.
The projects under these programs have been fruitful in changing the face of the nation, the revenue source and the environmental safety of the region. The practical example for this claim is the urban park projects that are concluded and launched in the metropolis. So far the urban park or ecotourism projects that have gone operation in the metropolis are Entoto Park, Unity Park, Friendship Park and Sheger Park.
These urban recreational places have become vibes immediately after they were inaugurated and launched. The places they now rest on used to be desolate, mere forest, or unused places. But following the completion of the project they are serving as destination of large number of urban escapists, visitors from home and abroad. In addition to making money, they are likely to influence the climate condition of the surrounding.
Despite their immense contribution in the economy and environment of the surrounding, their number as compared to both the need for resort places as well as the country’s potential for such facilities is very small. The country is endowed with a wide variety of weather condition and beautiful, mesmerizing landscape that are suitable for development of many more similar attractions. As PM Abiy told the parliamentarians, considering the multifaceted benefits of the sector and the country’s potential the government is expanding the ecotourism projects in various corners of the nation.
It is clear that tourism in general is an industry that can generate a considerable sum of revenue that can propel the economic and social development of a country as witnessed in many African and Asian nations. However, Ethiopia has not properly harnessed and exploited the sector despite having a big potential for it.
Therefore, the attention given by the government to explore the potential of the country to the development of tourism is a wise and timely decision. Furthermore, the selection of developing ecotourism becomes a favorable one as it escalates the country’s contribution towards the development the sector without causing impact to the environment which is currently the most dangerous threat to the existence of the planet.
Climate change due to the industrial, energy development activities are the threats to our planet at the moment. This is because the industries have to use sources of energy that release carbon to the environment which increases the temperature and further affects the climate negatively. As a result our planet is facing the worst form of natural disasters of historical level.
The developed countries own vast majority of the manufacturing industries and energy plants that contribute the largest proportion of the carbon emission to the environment. Therefore, as agreed by all countries they are to blame for the global warming threat of our time.
On the contrary Africa, and developing countries in general, that do not contribute significantly to the global warming are the ones that are suffering the most from the global climate crisis. As a result the countries of the world both the developed and the developing have agreed to join hands in mitigating the looming threat of climate change.
One of the pledges the countries made to contribute to mitigating the global warming is accomplishing a set of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC’s) as per the 2015 Paris Agreement. Among the agreement is, when the developed countries work on reducing their carbon emission, they have to financially compensate developing countries efforts of sticking to low carbon emission development. The promotion of ecotourism for developing countries like Ethiopia becomes handier on top of all its benefits.
The relationship between ecotourism and environment includes the biophysical, social, cultural, economic, and political dimensions. The maintenance of a ‘good quality’ environment for tourists’ destination is one of the major aspects of the development of tourism. The quality standard of the environmental resources that attract tourists determines the economic opportunity of tourism. It is evident that the very existence of tourism is unthinkable without a healthy pleasant environment, with well-preserved landscape and harmony between people and nature.
Ecotourism development, in addition to economic and environmental benefits, might contribute socially by enhancing local community esteem and provides the opportunity for greater understanding and communication among people of diverse background. Ecotourism helps for political empowerment of local communities and fosters respect for different cultures (helps to develop tolerance). It is an important vehicle for promoting cultural exchanges.
Social sustainability also ensures that development increases people’s control over their own lives is compatible with the social values of people affected by it, and maintains and strengthens community identity. A socially sustainable development must achieve distributive equity, adequate provision of social services including health and education; gender equity, and political accountability and participation. Ethiopia.
However lack of exposure to tourism markets is a significant challenge in attempting to carve net market share in the region and optimize on the rents that can be obtained from these assets. Thus, one can understand the potential that tourism has in local economic development in Ethiopia.
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD WEDNESDAY 29 MARCH 2023
