This web site is still under development, and our main objective is to create a promotional platform of Ethiopia based on tourism, creativity and culture. However, the wars started by politicians in Ethiopia, slowed and derailed us from our main project. The tourism industry is one of the strongest sectors in the economy of most developed countries. However in developing countries, like Ethiopia, the sector has not had visible impact on its economy. The revenues generated from tourism, end up in the pockets of politicians. The growth of tourism depends on the long-term vision and the capacity to evaluate opportunities that requires appropriate policy, planning, investment, strategic alliances and strategic management.
Ethiopia as a nation is endowed with various natural, cultural and historical heritages that enable the country to be a destination of conference tourism, attractions, and cultural events and is also gifted with friendly climatic conditions. The capital Addis Ababa with an average altitude more than 2,400 meters is conducive for tourists in its natural tourism segment due to it being considered as a ‘‘naturally air conditioned’’ city.
One of the criteria considered during the selection of Addis Ababa as a seat of AU, UNECA and many others, was its favourable climatic condition in addition to its contribution to the pan African movement. As a capital city of Ethiopia and Africa, Addis Ababa includes a range of such as the National Museum of Ethiopia (House of Lucy), Addis Ababa Museum, monuments, Holy Trinity and Holy Saviour Cathedrals (Religion, Architecture, Cemetery, etc), Museums at St. George and Entoto St. Mary churches are just a few to mention and these are considered the hardware for tourism.
The friendliness, ambiance and tourism atmospheric of the residents of Addis Ababa for tourists considered as the software. There is also a concern from the tourist point of view that tourists cannot walk out the hotel without being consistently hassled by young men and children. Since the Tigray war begun, some tourists have been arrested and locked up on bogus charges. In most cases, the tourists and their families had to pay huge sums of money to secure their freedom.
Ethiopia as a landlocked country, Bole international airport is the main gate way for around 86% of tourists. The Ethiopia Airlines currently has 65 destinations throughout the world. At the opening the airport was well equipped and had good facilities backed by a strong African airline that had many destinations in Africa. One can safely say that this makes Addis Ababa the hub of the content.
The personal observation of the researcher at the northern tourist sites at Axum and its vicinity, Yeha, up to Mekele witness’s the problem of the sanitary conditions is also manifested at the tourist destinations and the problem is aggravated by the average age of tourists being retirees. Hence, the great potential Ethiopia has challenged and aggravated by problems rose previously, results in the under performance of the industry compared with many African countries.
Eventually, the country missed an ample opportunity that could have been hugely contributed to the nations GDP which could then be used to improve the livelihood of the urban dwellers, particularly those who live nearby to the tourist attraction and therefore gain from the income generated from tourism. However, our neighbouring city Nairobi, earned high tourist revenue. In short, this is the most unfortunate and missed opportunity for the nation. Therefore, this study was attempted to identify the salient determinants of the marketability and competitiveness of Addis Ababa for in bound tourism and some of the inhibitors to progress as well as the weakness thereof in tourism.
With regard to the potential of Ethiopia as a tourist destination, the country is found in the horn of Africa between the equator and the tropic of Capricorn, the geography of the land is generally diverse ranging from the crater lakes and the rift valley to the highland plateaus elevated to heights ranging between 110 below sea level to 4600 meters above sea level. Geographic features worthy of notice include the vast savanna, magnificent rivers, graceful waterfalls and lakes. The diversity of the topography is matched extraordinary wildlife consisting of many species endemic to Ethiopia and a variegated aquatic life to found in an extensive range of national parks and game reserves.
In order to improve inbound tourism and its competitiveness the FDRE Government issued a tourism policy in 2009 at national level and subsequently Addis Ababa City Government also issued a regulation called the Addis Ababa City Government Cultural and Tourism Service Providers Licensing and Registration Regulation in 2009 to regulate the tourist service providers. Moreover, Addis Ababa is a home of tremendous tourist attractions that have various cultural, historical, architectural, aesthetic, economic, spiritual, political and symbolic values. They have a considerable importance to inform us about the true remarkable past of Ethiopia in general and Addis Ababa in particular. They have also greater potentials for tourism industry if they are well promoted and appropriately utilised.
In Addis Ababa 150 cultural heritages have been registered and incorporated in the new master plan of the city. These include 35 historical churches, 2 mosques, 26 former public buildings, 72 residences of former notable, 17 monuments (statue), caves and bridges and 6 historical sites. Among the various inherited and cultural attractions of the city only the few and the major ones are annexed.
This gives Addis Ababa greater potentials for tourism industry if they are well promoted and appropriately utilised, specially the tremendous precious collections of heritages and archives found in different attraction areas of the city. These include the very ancient scripts that are registered by UNESCO, the book published in Amharic Abroad, the chair Emperor Menelik used, the remains of Emperor Menelik, Queen Taitu, Empress Zewditu and others. Also the festivals that are taking place in the city can be a precious attraction to tourism.
Merkato the largest open-air market is fascinating attraction for tourists and visitors. As it is mentioned by the residences of the city and the outsiders no visit would be complete in Addis Ababa without making a trip to Merkato. Hotels in Addis Ababa vary from luxury such as Sheraton Addis and Hilton hotels to plenty of tourist standard hotels. The city hosts a lot of small hotels that provide accommodation and restaurant facilities both for residents and tourists.
Ethiopia Autonomous Media
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