Currently, the tourism sector has become a new chapter of global integration. The sector embraces huge potentials to integrate people across the globe. It immensely contributes to facilitate political, economic, social, and diplomatic relations. Therefore, countries across the world undertake various initiatives to maintain a strong collaboration in the tourism sector.
Recently, various diplomatic community members in Addis Ababa visited the Tourism and Hospitality Exhibition at the premises of Science Museum.
The Tourism Ministry disclosed that more than 3,000 members of the diplomatic community based in Addis Ababa visited the first-of-its-kind Tourism and Hospitality Exhibition at the Science Museum.
Speaking at the closing program of the National Tourism Exhibition and Hospitality, which has been held for about a month, Tourism State Minister Seleshi Girma stated that the exhibition has provided the opportunity to promote Ethiopia’s historical and natural tourist attraction sites to the diplomatic community. It has also played a vital role in stimulating the tourism and hospitality sectors.
“It was possible to achieve the desired results in the exhibition and it enabled actors in the tourism and hospitality sectors to render their services under one roof.”
The State Minister further noted that about 154,799 local and foreign visitors attended the exhibition during the last 30 days. Also, the fair has been visited more than nine million times through various digital alternatives.
Therefore, the Ministry called on members of the diplomatic community and development partners based in Addis to take tourism as a priority area of engagement for the benefit of the people and economy of Ethiopia.
Development partners and embassies are expected to encourage investment inflow in the tourism and hospitality sectors and inspire more people to come and visit Ethiopia. Owing to Ethiopia’s enormous potential in the tourism sector, embassies and development partners need to make the sector a priority area of intervention and support both government and private sectors initiatives in tourism as well as heritage reparations, Sileshi said.
“Ethiopia’s strategic location, the reputable airlines, its diverse tourism resources and history could attract more tourists across the globe. Nonetheless, service quality assurance, technology, heritage and wildlife conservation are among the areas where we want to collaborate,” the State Minister elaborated.
Moreover, the diplomatic members highlighted that the country has more potential to augment tourists’ inflow and generate a tangible income from the sector.
Chinese Embassy Deputy Chief Shen Qinmin told the Ethiopian Press Agency (EPA) that Ethiopia’s unique features and ancient civilization have given the country’s tourism industry immense capacity to attract international visitors. “I don’t think any African country has as many unique historical and natural attractions as Ethiopia.”
Accordingly, if Ethiopia and other East African countries put together their tourism potentials to the rest of the world, they could not only enshrine the flow of global tourists, but also ensure mutual benefit in the industry.
Nonetheless, the diplomat stressed the need to present Ethiopia’s tourism attraction sites in a package with other East African countries including Kenya and Tanzania to tap the sector’s full potential.
“In tourism, every country has its unique culture, custom and social setting. Ethiopia and China could exchange and learn from each other in this regard. More importantly, both countries have ancient civilizations that date back to more than 3000 years. There is also a great potential of combining the resources together,” he said.
Similarly, he described Addis Ababa as not only the capital of Ethiopia but also of the Horn of Africa and China’s gateway to Africa. “We take that advantage not only to take a day city tour but to go to Addis’s environs. I believe Addis Ababa and its surroundings have a lot to offer from the tourism perspective. In this industry, you are going to have a brighter future under the current leadership.”
The Chinese Ministry of Culture and Tourism also designated Ethiopia as a new destination for Chinese group tourism and the designation is expected to encourage more Chinese tourists to come here.
Many Chinese consider Ethiopia is the other version of China owing to the common culture and ancient history they share. Historians said in this regard that China and the Axum Empire are among the four great powers in the 4th century, he underscored.
“Today we are all embarking on this great renaissance for both Ethiopia and China. That is why you say ‘Great Ethiopian Renaissance Dam’ because you have a glorious past. In China, we also say ‘National Renaissance’; we use the same words to describe our future. Only a few other countries can claim this. And now, we are going to embark on that glory again.”
As to him, Ethiopia’s tourism industry is on the move and holds a great potential in the future; expressing his country’s support in various areas including job creation and economic promotion.
“Ethiopia is not only a beautiful country but also rich in culture, history and tourism resources as well. Both Ethiopia and China are countries of ancient civilizations where the two people have a lot to share. My embassy is encouraging more Chinese tourists to come here.”
Ethiopia has the biggest number of UNESCO-inscribed cultural sites in the Horn of Africa while Asia and China share a great resource of tourism as well. Therefore, the two countries can work and bridge together to let people come to visit each other’s sites.
Mentioning the tourism industry’s huge contribution to the green development initiative, Qinmin asserted his country’s alignment with Ethiopia and its tourism aspirations.
Moroccan Ambassador to Ethiopia Nezha Alaoui M’hammdi expressed optimism about the two countries’ ability and keen interest to work together in the tourism sector.
The Ambassador further highlighted that tourism is not only leisure but it is deeply linked with culture and heritages. “Hence, preserving heritages by restitution of cultural goods are very important, in this regard, both countries are keen and sensitive to this topic.”
BY TEWODROS KASSA
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD FRIDAY 17 NOVEMBER 2023
