ADDIS ABABA - The Ethiopian Tourist Guides Professional Association said that it is contributing to the tourism sector development in collaborating with pertinent stakeholders through nurturing skilled tour operators with enhanced industry expertise.

Association Vice President Kibrom Tesfaye, told the Ethiopian Press Agency (EPA) that the Association is working with Addis Ababa Culture, Art, and Tourism Bureau and other institutions to produce competent tour operators through providing training and awareness creation about the sector, professionalism.

As to the Vice President, the association is doing this to fill gaps it has observed as some tour operators are working without experience, the required knowledge or education.

Apart from this, he stated that some tour operators have been engaging in the field of tourism introducing their country to foreign tourists and making visitors have a good memory of Ethiopia.

They are now making great progress and it is an encouraging move to prevail, he noted.

"Currently, many universities are training people who work in hotel and tourism. This will create a good opportunity to produce better professionals in the field and for the development of the tourism sector," he expressed.

By its nature, the tourism industry grows gradually, Kibrom said, adding the association is working hard in this regard providing training, awareness creation activities to tour guides about professionalism and ethics in order to empower them and contribute to the sector development.

In addition, the association is working with Addis Ababa Culture, Art, and Tourism Bureau in 10 sub cities to motivate the domestic tourism by mobilizing residents to visit tourist destinations in the city, he stated.

BY ESSEYE MENGISTE

THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD WEDNESDAY 8 NOVEMBER 2023