Tourism in Ethiopia

Tourism in Ethiopia accounted for 5.5% of the country's gross domestic product (GDP) in 2006, having barely increased 2% over the previous year. The government is proving its commitment and willingness to develop tourism through a number of initiatives. Tourism is a featured component of Ethiopia's Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP), which aims to combat poverty and encourage economic development.

## Overview

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A memorial to the Italian soldiers killed in the Battle of Adwa

Tourist destinations include Ethiopia's collection of national parks (including Semien Mountains National Park), and historic sites, such as the cities of Axum, Lalibela and Gondar, Harar Jugol walled city, Negash Mosque, in Negash and Sof Omar Caves.

Developed in the 1960s, tourism declined greatly during the later 1970s and the 1980s under the Derg. Recovery began in the 1990s, but growth has been constrained by the lack of suitable hotels and other infrastructure, despite a boom in construction of small and medium-sized hotels and restaurants, and by the effects of drought and political instability.[1]

Rubaksa footbridge on trekking route 16 in Dogu'a Tembien Dallol volcano

One encouraging aspect is the growing popularity of ecotourism, with significant potential for growth in Ethiopia. Travel retail sales are expected to continue to grow, posting an increase of 7% in 2006 and with a forecast 5% increase in 2007. Sales are driven primarily by expanding interest in ecotourism packages, including adventure travel, trekking[2] and walking safaris that are making up much of the tour operators' revenues.

## World Heritage Sites

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Ethiopia has the following nine UNESCO World Heritage Sites:[3]

* Ruins of Aksum
* Rock-Hewn Churches at Lalibela
* Fasil Ghebbi, Gondar Region
* Harar Jugol, the Fortified Historic Town
* Konso Cultural Landscape
* Lower Valley of the Awash
* Lower Valley of the Omo
* Tiya
* Simien Mountains National Park
* Gedeo Cultural Landscape

## Millennium pageant controversy

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September 12, 2007 marked the beginning of the year 2000 in the Ethiopian calendar.[4] The Ministry of Culture and Tourism was embroiled in a controversy surrounding a beauty pageant in celebration of the Ethiopian Millennium. Allegedly the ministry failed to pay for promotional services from a UK based company for the Ethiopian Millennium,[5][6][7][8][9][10] and is being sued for US$1 Million in the British courts.

## See also

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* Ministry of Culture and Tourism (Ethiopia)
* List of World Heritage Sites in Ethiopia
* Public holidays in Ethiopia

## References

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1. ^ Ethiopia country profile. Library of Congress Federal Research Division (April 2005). This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
2. ^ Geo-trekking in Ethiopia's Tropical Mountains. Springer Nature. 2019.
3. ^ "Properties inscribed on the World Heritage List: Ethiopia". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 11 August 2021.
4. ^ "Archives for: March 2009, 03 - nazret.com Merkato Blog". Nazret.com. Archived from the original on 2009-03-14. Retrieved 2011-04-02.
5. ^ "Miss Tourism Millennium attracts international contestants". Jimma Times. Archived from the original on 2011-07-13. Retrieved 2011-04-02.
6. ^ "Ethiopia's State Ministry for Culture and Tourism Corruption Scandal". Gadaa.com. 2009-03-14. Retrieved 2011-04-02.
7. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2008-01-01. Retrieved 2010-02-13.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
8. ^ "Ethiopia fails to pay world pageant beauties their money". Ethiomedia.com. Retrieved 2011-04-02.
9. ^ "Gaas Mohamuda (Ethiopia)". Afdevinfo.com. 2006-04-18. Retrieved 2011-04-02.
10. ^ "www.meadna.com". www.meadna.com. Retrieved 2011-04-02.

## External links

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Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Ethiopia.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Tourism in Ethiopia.

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