Ethiopia’s tourism revenue to hit 280 mln dollars
November 23, 2007 (ADDIS ABABA) — Ethiopia will get about 280 million U.S. dollars from its lucrative tourism sector during the current fiscal year begun July 8, said a government official on Friday.
The country is expected to earn the stated sum of revenue from 440,000 tourists who will visit Ethiopia’s tourist attractions during the current fiscal year, when the new millennium is being celebrated, said Solomon Ali, head of public relations with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
The official said though much remains to be done to efficiently tap Ethiopia’s natural, historical and cultural attractions, a promising increase is being registered in the tourism sector.
He attributed the increase to the socioeconomic development, increase in investment activities and democratic processes taking place in the country over the past decade.
The government has also taken up the issue of tourism sector as one element in the country’s poverty reduction and sustainable economic development endeavor, he told journalists.
“Many tourists are visiting the national museum and many other areas where we have different kinds of archeological sites throughout the country. We hope in the future we should capitalize archeological and paleoanthropic tourism,” said Solomon.
In Ethiopia, the main tourist destination at the moment is the northern historic route encompassing Bahir Dar, Gondar, Axum, Makalle and Lalibela. Addis Ababa, a business center and a conference venue as well, is in its own right a major destination.
The other destinations chiefly include the wildlife centers along the Great Rift Valley, the southwest, and the eastern historic area of Harrar.
It is reported the total number of international tourist arrivals in Ethiopia, although growing, is by no means commensurate with the potentials of the country’s attractions. The present constraints to growth are identified largely as shortage of tourist facilities and limited promotion.
(Xinhua)