ADDIS ABABA –The restoration of the Yohannes IV Airport, which serves the Axum town of Tigray State, is well underway and set to be complete for June 2, 2024, the contractor Nioud Construction Company disclosed.
The Company’s Deputy Coordinator Fantahun Kidaye (Eng.) told the Ethiopian Press Agency (EPA) that the airport, which is under restoration, would be open for service in the beginning of June. “Most of the airport maintenance work is completed and now we are moving to the asphalt carpet.”
The Tigray State Infrastructure Cabinet Head Yalem Tsegaye on her part said that the restoration work is going properly and expected to be completed within the scheduled period. “Owing to the restoration of the airport, the tourist inflow to the historic town and the state at large is expected to intensify.”
Recently, the Tigray State Culture and Tourism Bureau stated that various activities are being carried out to restore the tourist attraction sites. Because of this and other related activities, close to 3,000 foreign tourists visited the state during the past nine months of the current fiscal year.
It is to be recalled that some 2-3 million domestic visitors and 80-90,000 foreign tourists visited the state prior to the Tigray War. Due to the two-year war, tourism activities in Tigray were remained stagnant.
BY MESERET BEHAILU
The Ethiopian herald May 4/2024
