Ethiopia with its new tourism motto "Land of Origins" is known with numerous exclusive tourist attractions in the world. The county has a potential to increase the number of international tourists inflow through its various diversified and human made tourist attractions.
During the current Ethiopian budget year, the country has set a target to increase the number of international tourists and generate over one billion USD, according to the Ministry of Tourism.
In fact, being the origin and home to more tourist attractions is not enough to generate the planned income from the tourism sector. Thus, the government and pertinent stakeholders are expected to undertake various measures towards harnessing the potential of the sector. These include employing better tourism marketing and promotion activities, new tourist destinations development as well as improving touristic services, tourism experts repeatedly uttered.
Tourism State Minister Sileshi Girma revealed the plan to stage ambassadors' forum that aims to mobilize Ethiopian diplomats across the globe to be involved in tourism promotion and attract visitors to come and see the country. The forum also intends to enhance the role of diplomacy in increasing tourist's inflow to Ethiopia. Sileshi further mentioned the government's plan to employ local and international forums to promote the tourism industry.
According to him, efforts are underway to boost the flow of visitors by developing tourism packages linking the new and existing tourist destinations in the country.
More importantly, digital marketing strategy has become more appropriate to grab the attention of international tourists to motivate them to visit the country. Thus, various social media promotional messages are effective tools to promote the country's vast tourism endowments.
He further said that the government of Ethiopia has given a great deal of attention to the development of tourism. Many tourist destinations are being developed, he said; citing projects such as Dine for Sheger, Dine for Nation and Dine for Generation, that are schemes initiated by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.
At the same time, he stated that the constructions of necessary infrastructure works are being carried out around tourist destinations. In this regard, he explained the construction of roads, community eco-lodges and tourism information centers that are underway around parks and tourist destinations.
The State Minister also stated that hotels, lodges and resorts have been constructed by the private sector, pointing out that necessary support is being given to encourage them.
Moreover, by connecting new tourist destinations with the existing ones, efforts are being made to promote them to the world market and increase the flow of tourists.
"All the new destinations that are being built can be visited alone, but works are also underway to link them together with existing tourist destinations to increase the number of tourists. In this regard, we are working hard to develop many new tourist packages," he said.
Tour operators on their part pointed out that they are working to increase the flow of tourists into the country by introducing tourism packages in the international market by connecting the new ones with the existing.
The effort to renovate tourism sites and develop existing ones will further be consolidated in order to improve the tourist flow, it was indicated.
On her part, Tourism Minister Amb. Nassise Chali stated that 85 companies in the tourism and hospitality sector are taking part in the ongoing Tourism and Hospitality Exhibition inside the premises of the science museum.
While tourism firms have been displaying the historical and natural attraction sites located across the country, technology companies are also involved in the exhibition and presenting their products. Thus, the exhibition is beyond destination promotion; it equally provides the opportunity to encourage investors to be involved in the tourism and hospitality sectors.
The tourism sector has untapped potential for investments and government's door is always open for investment dialogues and to support businesses, the Minister affirmed.
The tourism exhibition opened in Addis Ababa Science Museum enables 85 exhibitors to promote Ethiopia's world-famous attraction sites, the Tourism Minister said, adding that more than 200,000 people are expected to visit the display.
Recently, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD) also launched the Niin Lee Palm Spring Lodge project in Afar State as part of the 'Dine for Generations' initiative.
According to the Office of the Prime Minister (PMO), the project is one of seven tourism destinations to be built through the third 'Dine' Prime Ministerial initiative. In the second tour of development initiatives in the Afar State, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD) also visited the Afar Bentonite Mineral Mining and Production Factory in Warseso woreda.
Bentonite is a natural mineral considered as a "miracle mud" and "clay of a thousand uses," with its application in the making of ceramics, paint and other uses.
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Afar State is among the top tourist destinations in the country. The State is the origin of humankind; home of the earliest remains of human ancestors ever found, the first being which routinely walked on two feet named the prominent Lucy (Dinknesh) oldest fossil, the Danakil Depression, active volcanoes, various hot springs, among others.
However, lack of attention to the sector in the past, lack of infrastructure development and, poor promotion of tourism resources are the major bottlenecks behind the State's poor tourism sector achievement. Thus, the new initiatives by the Prime Minister sought to boost the State's international and local tourists' arrival. At the same time such projects will have significant contributions towards creating numerous job opportunities to the youths and women.
Accordingly, Afar is the home to all kinds of tourist attractions but has not tapped its untapped tourism potential. Thus, the newly launched destination development is another milestone to reinvigorate its tourism sector.
Danakil Depression - the hottest place on earth - Afar State, Ethiopia
Rock-Hewn Churches, Lalibela - UNESCO World Heritage
BY TEWODROS KASSA
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD FRIDAY 3 NOVEMBER 2023
