In recent years, numerous tourism projects have been inaugurated across the country. The tourism projects are solely undertaken by the government. Parks including Unity, Sheger, and Entoto are the leading tourism projects in Addis Ababa.
In addition, the Gorgora, Wonchi, Halala tourism projects that are under construction in various parts of the country are also part of the government’s wide tourism projects that sought to motivate the country’s tourism sector through attracting tourists from the four corners of the globe.
Moreover, various local investors are also engaged in the vast tourism and hospitality sector investments. Haile hotels and resorts group is among the leading private investors that contributed its part in the efforts of availing luxurious touristic services in every corner of the country.
Lack of infrastructure, quality hotel and hospitality services, competent tour guides, among others are the leading sector bottlenecks. In doing so, there are more assignments to be done to attract more international tourists and fulfill their luxurious demand, according to experts.
Visitors of the ongoing the National Tourism and Hospitality Exhibition opened at the Science Museum said that the exhibition plays a significant role towards promoting the untapped tourism potentials of the country to investors, discovering its endowments and boosting tourism development.
Different countries’ investors are visiting the exhibition at the Science Museum; and it is expected to give new insights to the investors to join investment in the tourism sector. The exhibition is crucial to motivate international and local investors to identify new investment opportunities in all states, to take part and expand their investments in the tourism sector.
Experts in the sector also lauded the importance of having such exhibitions annually, quarterly or monthly. The exhibitions will attract pertinent stakeholders to come together, discuss sector’s challenges, and identify possible solutions to the country’s tourism sector bottlenecks.
Ethiopian Tour Operators Association President Endegenaw Assefa said that the exhibition is unique in letting more stakeholders participate and embracing various items.
“As the government sets tourism among the five pillars of the economy, it is important to specialize in undertaking enormous and successive exhibitions and promotional activities. Convening all sector actors in such an event is a big milestone to restore international tourists’ inflow to the country. The event also paves ways to establish coalition, cooperation, and integrity among sector actors to work together in the future.” he said.
More importantly, the one month long exhibition is crucial to solve the sector’s challenges through forums and panel discussions held beside the exhibition, he added.
He expressed that the country should give more attention to the sector and; generate more income through attracting a number of local and international tourists. Tourism sector development could not be realized with a single institution; rather it seeks the joint efforts of the finance ministry, customs commission, immigration and other stakeholders.
Participant of the exhibition from Somali State Kemal Zekaria said that the exhibition helps to share the experience of other states in developing the tourism sector.
As to him, the exhibition is ideal to know own tourism sector assets and at the same time discover what should be visited in other parts of the country. The exhibition avails more tourist destinations that are given less attention due to the lack of information.
Another participant of the Tour¬ism and Hospitality Exhibition from Sidama State Almaz Anberbir said that the exhibition is fundamental to show the immense tourism potentials of all states to the world.
In addition, every state will have the opportunity to share other states’ experience in the efforts of developing tourism projects and harnessing its tourism blessings.
Tourism Minister Amb. Nasise Chali be¬lieved that the exhibition which is being held at the Science Museum in the capital is promis¬ing to attract more investment in tourism development since over 85 institutions are displaying their products and services to an expected number of 200,000 visitors.
Minister Amb. Nasise told the Ethiopian Press Agency (EPA) that technology and tourism service providers are participating in the exhibition which is important to at¬tract more investors in the sphere.
The exhibition helps to promote the nation’s tourism resources starting with the concept behind the tourism slogan that popularizes Ethiopia as ‘Land of Origins’, she said.
She also called on private owners to visit the exhibition to find viable investment op¬tions in Ethiopia’s tourism sector which is full of abundant potential that needs to be exploited.
Tourism State Minister Sileshi Girma on his part said that the tourism and hospitality ex¬hibition is a vital platform which introduces investors with Ethiopia’s positive images and its potentials for lucrative investment in the sector.
An investment forum mainly organized to promote tourism investment was also held with investors, private sectors and other stakeholders on the opening day of the ex¬hibition, he said, adding an ambassadors’ forum will also take place soon to support tourism development.
Ethiopia would promote its immense tour¬ism potential through participating in vari¬ous international tourism and hospitality exhibitions that take place this year, Sileshi disclosed.
Absence of experiences in organizing local and international exhibitions is one of the limitations that restrict the tourism develop¬ment in Ethiopia, the State Minister noted.
Therefore, this exhibition is crucial to draw lessons about how to organize international tourism exhibition, in addition to its signifi¬cance to create linkage among service pro¬viders and visitors, he added.
The Tourism and Hospitality Exhibition which is being held in Addis Ababa at Science Mu¬seum will stay open until November 8, 2023 and it is expected to be visited by more than 200,000 local and foreign tourists.
BY TEWODROS KASSA
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD FRIDAY 27 OCTOBER 2023
