ETHIOPIAN CIVIL SERVICE UNIVERSITY

College of Leadership & Governance

School of Diplomacy & International Relations (SDIR)

Assignment on the course: Ethiopian Foreign Policy

(Corse Code – DIR 5061)

Title: Tourism policies and practices in Ethiopia

Prepared by: Fevenn Dilnessa, Section One (Regular)

Submitted to: Tesfaye Molla (PhD)

(Assistance Professor)

April 2019

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Contents Pages
Introduction.................................................................................................................................................1
2. UNESCO Recognized Heritages...........................................................................................................2
3. The contemporary natures of tourism in Ethiopia...................................................................................8
4. Tourism as part of the economic diplomacy of Ethiopia.........................................................................9
5. The tourism development policy...........................................................................................................10
6 .Prospectus of the policy.........................................................................................................................12
7. The policy gaps.....................................................................................................................................13
8. Achievements in tourism aspect............................................................................................................13
9. Gaps in implementing the tourism policy.............................................................................................14
10. Analysis on the Tourism Development................................................................................................15
11. Conclusions.........................................................................................................................................20
12 .Recommendation.................................................................................................................................21
Works Cited...............................................................................................................................................22
Introduction
Tourism is one of the world’s major economic success stories, like time, that has no beginning or
end. A phenomenon has been created and is difficult to define because of its complexity. When
time began so did tourism. With the Babylonian invention of money and the development of
trade in 4000 BC,travel and tourism were invented. The roots of today’s tourism industry is
found in many religious traditions, such as making visit to Mecca for Muslims. The French
Guidebook “The Travels of Sir John Mandeville (1975) provided travelers with information
about Holy Land, including tanneries. This early guidebook was translated into many languages
for international tourists. In 15th century, the Venetian government assigned two galleys to carry
pilgrims across the Mediterranean to Palestine.

1. Tourism in Ethiopia; Historical overview

Tourism development was highly regarded and promoted during the reign of Emperor
Haile Selassie. The captivating history of the country’s three thousand years of
independent existence and the unique contribution of Ethiopia’s Orthodox Church to the
literary and cultural development of a diverse population were interjected into the “Thirteen
Months of sunshine” logo in promoting tourism abroad. The famous historic route linking
Axum, Lalibela, Gondar, Debre Damo, and Bahr Dar became the clarion call for all
Ethiopia visitors. The Ethiopian Tourism Commission employed the services of artists,
the Ethiopian Airlines, tour promoters and investors to build and manage the necessary
infrastructure to cater to the tourist industry. In spite of these and other efforts, the
tourism infrastructure of the country was underdeveloped and rudimentary in
comparison with such neighboring countries as Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. [ CITATION
Tad17 \l 1033 ]
The military government that toppled the monarchy in 1974 brought about a sudden and
radical development for tourism. The hardline socialist ideology and development policy
that the military government introduced into the country and the subsequent social
upheaval virtually killed tourism for a long time. The great political turmoil that ensued
in the wake of the nationalization of all lands and extra urban houses, businesses, banks,
insurance offices and the commanding heights of the economy drove the private sector

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from the tourism industry. The considerable infrastructure and services developed to cater
to the tourism sector collapsed and the number of foreign visitors to the country plummeted
significantly. The lack of security in the country essentially closed the tourism sector for good.
Those who ventured into the country were largely on official missions or specialized visitors
associated with government institutions. In the early and late 1980s, the tourism commission
tried to promote tourism by improving special tourist bus services to local destinations but the
overall socio-economic and political environment was such that the sector could not regain its
pre-revolution days. In fact, the sector was largely neglected and the tourist infrastructure
built earlier became neglected and in some cases disintegrated. [ CITATION Tad17 \l 1033 ]
The post-1991 period has seen a reorientation of the development trajectory of the country
from a centrally-managed into a quasi-capitalist market system in which the role of both
public and private sectors has been significantly reconfigured and promoted. The impact of the
structural shift in economic policy and political ideology has been felt quite significantly
in the tourism sector. The proliferation of tour operators, the increase in investment in
accommodations, transport and food services and the improved security condition in most
parts of the country and the flow of foreign investment to various sectors of the economy were
some of the major changes that have had a positive bearing on tourism development.

2. UNESCO Recognized Heritages

It is a truly unique country to visit with some of the most amazing places on the planet and more
UNESCO World Heritage Sites than any other country in Africa . [ CITATION JOH13 \l 1033 ]

 Ethiopia inscribed 9 Properties on the World Heritage List.

I. Aksum

The ruins of the ancient city of Aksum are found close to Ethiopia's northern border. They mark
the location of the heart of ancient Ethiopia, when the Kingdom of Aksum was the most
powerful state between the Eastern Roman Empire and Persia. The massive ruins, dating from
between the 1st and the 13th century A.D., include monolithic obelisks, giant stelae, royal tombs
and the ruins of ancient castles. Long after its political decline in the 10th century, Ethiopian
emperors continued to be crowned in Aksum.

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 II. Fasil Ginb, Gondar Region

In the 16th and 17th centuries, the fortress-city of Fasil Ghebbi was the residence of the
Ethiopian emperor Fasilides and his successors. Surrounded by a 900-m-long wall, the city
contains palaces, churches, monasteries and unique public and private buildings marked by
Hindu and Arab influences, subsequently transformed by the Baroque style brought to Gondar by
the Jesuit missionaries.
Several of the component sites, including Fasil Ghebbi, are walled and these provide natural
boundaries. These enclosed sites retain all the important attributes that substantiate the
Outstanding Universal Value of the property.

III. Harar Jugol, the Fortified Historic Town

The fortified historic town of Harar is located in the eastern part of the country on a plateau with
deep gorges surrounded by deserts and savannah. The walls surrounding this sacred Muslim city
were built between the 13th and 16th centuries. Harar Jugol, said to be the fourth holiest city of
Islam, numbers 82 mosques, three of which date from the 10th century, and 102 shrines, but the
townhouses with their exceptional interior design constitute the most spectacular part of Harar's
cultural heritage. The impact of African and Islamic traditions on the development of the town's
building types and urban layout make for its particular character and uniqueness.

IV. Konso Cultural Landscape

Konso Cultural Landscape is a 55km2 arid property of stone walled terraces and fortified
settlements in the Konso highlands of Ethiopia. It constitutes a spectacular example of a living
cultural tradition stretching back 21 generations (more than 400 years) adapted to its dry hostile
environment. The landscape demonstrates the shared values, social cohesion and engineering
knowledge of its communities. The site also features anthropomorphic wooden statues - grouped
to represent respected members of their communities and particularly heroic events - which are
an exceptional living testimony to funerary traditions that are on the verge of disappearing. Stone
steles in the towns express a complex system of marking the passing of generations of leaders.

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 V. Lower Valley of the Awash

The Awash valley contains one of the most important groupings of palaeontological sites on the
African continent. The remains found at the site, the oldest of which date back at least 4 million
years, provide evidence of human evolution which has modified our conception of the history of
humankind. The most spectacular discovery came in 1974, when 52 fragments of a skeleton
enabled the famous Lucy to be reconstructed.

VI. Lower Valley of the Omo

A prehistoric site near Lake Turkana, the lower valley of the Omo is renowned the world over.
The discovery of many fossils there, especially Homo gracilis, has been of fundamental
importance in the study of human evolution.

VII. Rock-Hewn Churches, Lalibela

The 11 medieval monolithic cave churches of this 13th-century 'New Jerusalem' are situated in a
mountainous region in the heart of Ethiopia near a traditional village with circular-shaped
dwellings. Lalibela is a high place of Ethiopian Christianity, still today a place of pilmigrage and
devotion. the whole of Lalibela offers an exceptional testimony to the medieval and post-
medieval civilization of Ethiopia, including, next to the eleven churches, the extensive remains
of traditional, two storey circular village houses with interior staircases and thatched roofs.

VIII. Tiya

Tiya is among the most important of the roughly 160 archaeological sites discovered so far in the
Soddo region, south of Addis Ababa. The site contains 36 monuments, including 32 carved
stelae covered with symbols, most of which are difficult to decipher. They are the remains of an
ancient Ethiopian culture whose age has not yet been precisely determined.

Simien National Park

Massive erosion over the years on the Ethiopian plateau has created one of the most spectacular
landscapes in the world, with jagged mountain peaks, deep valleys and sharp precipices dropping

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some 1,500 m. The park is home to some extremely rare animals such as the Gelada baboon, the
Simien fox and the Walia ibex, a goat found nowhere else in the world.

Ethiopia inscribed Simen national park as world natural because it is a spectacular landscape,
where massive erosion over millions of years has created jagged mountain peaks, deep valleys
and sharp precipices dropping some 1,500 m. The park is of global significance for biodiversity
conservation because it is home to globally threatened species, including the iconic Walia ibex, a
wild mountain goat found nowhere else in the world, the Gelada baboon and the Ethiopian wolf.

 Ethiopia inscribed 3 intangible cultural heritages by UNESCO as the

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity
1) Gada system, an indigenous democratic socio-political system of the Oromo Ethiopia
Inscribed in 2016 on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of
Humanity.

Gada is a traditional system of governance used by the Oromo people in Ethiopia developed
from knowledge gained by community experience over generations. The system regulates
political, economic, social and religious activities of the community dealing with issues such as
conflict resolution, reparation and protecting women’s rights. It serves as a mechanism for
enforcing moral conduct, building social cohesion, and expressing forms of community culture.
Gada is organized into five classes with one of these functioning as the ruling class consisting of
a chairperson, officials and an assembly. Each class progresses through a series of grades before
it can function in authority with the leadership changing on a rotational basis every eight years.
Class membership is open to men, whose fathers are already members, while women are
consulted for decision-making on protecting women’s rights. The classes are taught by oral
historians covering history, laws, rituals, time reckoning, cosmology, myths, rules of conduct,
and the function of the Gada system. Meetings and ceremonies take place under a sycamore tree
(considered the Gada symbol) while major clans have established Gada centres and ceremonial
spaces according to territory. Knowledge about the Gada system is transmitted to children in the
home and at school.

2) Fichee-Chambalaalla is a New Year festival celebrated among the Sidama people, Inscribed
in 2015 on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity .

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 According to the oral tradition, Fichee commemorates a Sidama woman who visited her
parents and relatives once a year after her marriage, bringing buurisame, a meal prepared
from false banana, milk and butter, which was shared with neighbours. Fichee has since
become a unifying symbol of the Sidama people. Each year, astrologers determine the correct
date for the festival, which is then announced to the clans. Communal events take place
throughout the festival, including traditional songs and dances. Every member participates
irrespective of age, gender and social status. On the first day, children go from house to
house to greet their neighbours, who serve them buurisame. During the festival, clan leaders
advise the Sidama people to work hard, respect and support the elders, and abstain from
cutting down indigenous trees, begging, indolence, false testimony and theft. The festival
therefore enhances equity, good governance, social cohesion, peaceful co-existence and
integration among Sidama clans and the diverse ethnic groups in Ethiopia. Parents transmit
the tradition to their children orally and through participation in events during the
celebration. Women in particular, transfer knowledge and skills associated with hairdressing
and preparation of buuri same to their daughters and other girls in their respective villages.
3) Commemoration feast of the finding of the True Holy Cross of Christ Ethiopia Inscribed in
2013 on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

The festival of Maskel is celebrated across Ethiopia on 26 September to commemorate the

unearthing of the True Holy Cross of Christ. Celebrations begin with the building of the Damera
bonfire in Maskel Square in Addis Ababa – a conical pyre of poles surrounded by bundles of
branches and torches, decorated with green grass and Abyssinian daisies symbolizing the New
Year. Hundreds of thousands of people from diverse communities flock to the square as
colourfully dressed priests chant hymns and prayers and perform their unique rhythmic dance in
front of the pyre. At the climax, the patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church lights
the bonfire. Maskel is celebrated nationwide regardless of age, gender, language or ethnicity.
Participants are believed to receive spiritual rewards from the celebration and blessings from the
Holy Cross. Local churches play a key role in coordinating communities and safeguarding the
element. The festival is also a time when families get together and migrant workers return home
– reunions that result in the inflow of money, information and new ideas from urban centres to
rural areas. Prior to the celebration, personal quarrels and social disagreements must be resolved.

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In this way, Maskel is an occasion for Ethiopians to promote their spiritual life through
reconciliation, social cohesion and peaceful coexistence.

 UNESCO registered 6 tangible property and one cultural heritage on the Tentative
List which Ethiopia intends to consider for nomination.
a) Bale Mountains National Park (2008)
b) Dirre Sheik Hussein Religious, Cultural and Historical Site (2011)
c) Holqa Sof Omar: Natural and Cultural Heritage (Sof Omar: Caves of Mystery) (2011)
d) Gedeo Mixed Cultural and Natural Landscape (2012)
e) Melka Kunture and Bachilt Archaeological Site (2012)
f) Sacred Landscapes of Tigray (2018)
g) Ethiopian epiphany (On-going nomination)2019

Beside UNESCO inscribed property and cultural heritages there are dozens of tourism potential
sites including Ziway, Langano, Abijatta, Shalla, Awasa, Abaya, and Chamo, whick are
situated in their own local systems of ‘inland drainage’. These lakes were formed by the
millennia of heavy rainfall that hit Africa during the same period the ‘Ice Age’ was affecting
northern Europe. Although they are slowly evaporating – ‘small puddles compared to their
shrinkage has exposed huge areas of alluvial soil that allow prosperous and productive,
agriculture and created a rich productive, agriculture and created a rich environment for wildlife
and birds.

The Blue Nile Falls (Tis Isat) are at the point where the overflow from the lake drops over the
edge of a lava flow. The country also possesses a number of beautiful lakes formed out of extinct
volcanoes, such as that on Mount Zuqualla, or interconnected volcanoes like the one on Mount
Wonchi. Both are within easy access of Addis Ababa. This and other natural and made made
asset can bring many tourists for the country.

However With this potential cites The revenue generation performance of Ethiopian tourism
was much lower than the countries of Eastern Africa. In 2012 Ethiopia’s revenue from
tourism was USD 460 million as compared with Tanzania’s USD 1.7 bln; Kenya’s 1.2
bln and Uganda’s USD 800 million. The poor showing of Ethiopia in generating revenues from

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the tourism sector was partially attributed to the low admission fees that parks and tourist sites
charge visitors. It was reported that current admission fees to all parks were US$5.0 for
visiting tourists; $3.0 for expatriates; $1 for Ethiopians and $ 0.5 for students. Kenya and
Tanzania charge US$ 35 and US $ 65 respectively. Ethiopia plans to charge foreign tourists US$
13.0 -16.0 for premium parks and US$ 6.5-8.0 for other sites. In spite of the significant
improvement in the performance of the sector since 2000, Ethiopia’s tourism is still
woefully underdeveloped when compared with many countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.

(Travel & Tourism; Economic Impact 2015 Ethiopia, 2015: 1) cited by [ CITATION DrB16 \l
1033 ].
Thus, even if there is a potential nature for tourism Ethiopia yet not using it properly?

3. The contemporary natures of tourism in Ethiopia

Even if there is diversified nature ,cultural heritages and fascinating religious activities in
Ethiopia, the industry could not grab foreign exchanges from tourist ,Yabibali Mulalim agree on
this statement ,

Africa's underdeveloped tourism sector is attracting only 4.81% (40.7 million) of the total tourist
arrivals in the world. What makes the problem severe is the fact that a considerable proportion of
this number is taken by South Africa and Northern African countries.

The situation in Ethiopia is even worse. On the one hand, its tourism potential is diversified:
natural attractions that include some of the highest and lowest places in Africa along with
immense wild life. Testament (www.tourismethiopia.org) cited by (Mulalim, 2010). On the other
hand, it is one of the poorly performing countries in terms of tourist arrivals. For example, the
total number of tourist arrivals in Ethiopia in 2006 is 290,000 which is more than five times
smaller than the number in neighboring Kenya, 1,644,000 (WDI,2010). Even then, it is a major
source of foreign exchange earnings in the country claiming an average of 23.34% of the total
export earnings from 1995 to 2007 (WDI, 2010) cited by (Mulalim, 2010).

pia’s possession of varied attractions regarded as an opportunity for the sector. However at
present, the following major challenges also confronting the sector: Heritages of the country has
not been adequately protected, developed and used as a tourist attraction.

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There is a serious shortage in number and type of tourist facilities. Moreover, the quality of
service is poor and unsatisfactory to tourists. Performing arts, entertainment services and other
local creative products, which could have helped to lengthen the stay of visitors, are not offered
in sufficient variety.

There is a shortage of trained manpower that is crucial to the development of the sector.Weak
mutual support and coordination among tourism stakeholders. Ethiopia’s image on the
international scene is widely associated with draught, famine and war. The horn of Africa is
regarded as a region of instability and terrorism.

4. Tourism as part of the economic diplomacy of Ethiopia

Economic diplomacy has been given priority in the foreign policy of Ethiopia so as to pull
people out of poverty and to reach a middle income country. In this economic diplomacy trade,
foreign direct investment and development assistance (technical support, grants and loans) have
been mentioned in detail. However, the contribution of tourism to the economic benefits and
economic diplomacy is totally ignored in the policy document. As an ancient country, Ethiopia
has so many tourist attractions including natural, historical and cultural sites. Some of them are
registered as World Heritage by UNESCO. But, when compared with some African countries
Ethiopia is not benefiting from tourism. Thus, there is a need to conduct cultural diplomacy to
strengthen the benefits of tourism to economic development. In that regard, the foreign policy
document should incorporate the role of tourism to the economic development of the country.

In this globalized world outbound tourism is used as a tool in China’s, Greek, France, Ghana and
Kenya ‘s foreign policy, particularly in the central government’s efforts to strengthen ties with
overseas . Ethiopia should give a great focus for tourism by ting it with foreign policies .

Ethiopia is a capital city of Africa because African Union located in Ethiopia in the capital city
of Addis Ababa that establish in 1963. Pan African countries are meeting for many times in a
year for the issue of African. Therefor this is a good opportunity to promote Ethiopian tourism
industry and invite gusts to visit Ethiopian tourist area. This one we can count that promoting
Ethiopia tourist site to the rest of Africa. Apart from this because of existence of African union in

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Ethiopia by itself creates different international organizations are located in Ethiopia. This also
creates a good opportunity to Ethiopia to promote and invite to visit Ethiopian tourist area.

Ethiopian airlines is one of the leading air lines in African and have a direct flight across the
world. Apart from this from day to day he expands their own destiny and joined in the early past
in a star alliance member. So, the tourists have an access to direct flight to Ethiopia this by itself
creates convinces to for the passengers and avoids further transits. So this also creates a good
opportunity to Ethiopian tourism industry.

it is almost the leading African countries to registered heritage by UNISCO in Africa. This also
creates a pressure to increase the flow of foreign tourist in Ethiopia.

5. The tourism development policy

The first tourism development policy of the country was enacted in August, 2010. Lessening the
aforementioned challenges was the origin for this policy initiative. The major objectives of this policy is:

1. To ensure the country’s full benefits by turning Ethiopia into a particularly preferred destination
in Africa. To ensure concretely the country’s full benefits by sustaining competitiveness in the
international tourism market, by turning Ethiopia into a particularly preferred destination in
Africa, and by maximizing direct and indirect economic benefits.
2. To build a tourism industry that makes important contributions in earning and conserving foreign
exchange, and integrates into the economic growth of the country.
3. To create extensive employment opportunities for communities at tourist destinations. To create
extensive employment opportunities for communities at tourist destinations and to ensure
community benefits through a wider distribution of income, and to enhance community
participation in decision making on development.
4. To realize a tourism industry that builds a positive image of the country, carries on the sector's
development in a responsible and sustainable manner, with the capability of growing without
disrupting peoples' culture and life styles and the natural environment.
5. To build an industry that can lengthen the tourist’s stay by solving observed limitations in service
in the sector and provide for the progressive growth of capacity in tourist facilities deployed in
the field.

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To lead the country’s tourism industry in a broad-based developmental direction Though the
strategy will give emphasis for: Creating strong relationships with other development strategies
and policies to integrate directions .Here especially interlinking and connecting the tourism
policy with agricultural and rural policy and strategy which helps to expand tourism attractions
like eco-tourism in rural and agricultural areas. This coordination or chain of the rural to urban
tourism used the sector direct beneficiary from on growing rural tourism development and
give/provide input and artistic product for the urban tourism development as value chain.

The policy strategies focus on: Development of the tourism environment:-

 Ensuring participation
 Increasing visitor volume
 Strengthening linkages in a cross-sectorial approach to poverty reduction.

Sequential development to avoid conflicts associated with mass tourism elsewhere. To

develop new attractions and improving existing ones considering type, quality and
quantity; possible strategy is:

 Developing high quality destinations and productions such as handy crafts

 Increasing flows of tourists in areas of the counties that are not in the current circuits.
 Linking tour circuits to create a strong tourism package
 To develop crucial infrastructure and service delivery institutions
 Capacity building of federal and regional implementing structures
 Development of land and sea transport infrastructure, telephone and internet facilities
and energy supply networks. To make Ethiopia a competitive destination in the world
tourism market
 Creation of an effective tourism promotion strategy,
 Market analysis
 Building partnerships with domestic and international tour operators.
To coordinate the efforts of stakeholders
Formation and consolidation of trade organizations
 Establishment of new for a Tourism Management Council formed by officials from
federal and regional tourism offices

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  Government Tourism Common Forums formed from the relevant federal and regional
executive bodies with NGOs, institutions and private sector stakeholders with
interests in tourism.

To increase the current low capacity of the tourism industry:-

 Increase the capacity of major industry players with the introduction of professional
standards for service providers.
 Establishment of tourism training and education centers to address short comings in
human resources development.
 Improve the capacity state tourism institutions and systems in research, information
dissemination and data collection and the creation and periodic publication of tourism
satellite accounts.

6 .Prospectus of the policy

The 2009 policy focusing philosophy is using tourism for development. Throughout the world, the most
compelling reason for pursuing tourism as a development strategy is its alleged positive contribution to
the local or national economy.
Internationally and localy, tourism represents an important source of foreign exchange earnings; indeed, it
has been suggested that the potential contribution to the national balance of payments is the principal
reason why governments support tourism development. [ CITATION Yim16 \l 1033 ]

 Tourism is generally labour-intensive – although less than agriculture – and therefore can
impact on a large number of lives through the labour market;
 Tourism has considerable potential linkage, especially with agriculture and fisheries,
which can minimize the ‘leakage’ effect. Due to the high income elasticity of demand for
international tourism, it can offer a relatively rapidly growing market;
 Tourism provides opportunities for off-farm diversification, particularly in areas that do
not attract other types of development options;
 Tourism can provide poor countries with significant export opportunities where few other
options are viable;
 It may create initial demand for a good or service that can itself develop into a growth
sector;

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  Tourism products can generate demand for assets such as natural resources and culture, to
which the poor often have access;
 Tourism delivers consumers to the product rather than the other way around; and
 Infrastructure associated with tourism development can provide essential services for
local communities.
 Moreover the tourism development policy clear objective and principles are set, serious
problems of the industry in the country has identified and clearly expresses the
responsibilities and roles of each stake holders in the industry.
 The policy is unique from other policies of the country by clearly citing the source of
finance for the implementation of the policy.

7. The policy gaps

 The contribution of tourism to the economic benefits and economic diplomacy is totally ignored
in the foreign policy document.
 Tourism Development Policy, 2009 it is lacking in detail.
 It Focused on socio-cultural and historical aspects of the country’s development and ignored the
natural aspects of tourism .
 In line with the tourism development policy, MCT introduce a strategic plan for the sector every
five year. However, the strategic plan designed more ambitiously to fit the objectives of GTP in
the tourism arena, for instance (2010-2015) five year plan.

8. Achievements in tourism aspect

In Ethiopia, tourism opens job opportunity for several people starting from the least coffee
ceremony to the large hotel industries tourism plays a huge role for economic development.
Heritage tourism has been and is a dominant mode of consumption in Ethiopia’s case
and tourists consume history as a commodity. Visitors to Lalibela, Axum, Gondar, Bahr Dar
and other historical sites essentially buy the interpretation, reinterpretation and
reconfiguration or reconstruction of the long and checkered history of these places.
Ecotourism and adventure holidays are another mode of tourist consumption.
Since 2009, the tourism sector has been growing. In 2005, the country received about US$ 13
tourism in Ethiopia currently generates about US$2.9 billion annually.

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The impact of the travel and tourism industry on national employment was
estimated at 1,388,000 jobs in 2007 - about 7.1% of the total employment in the
country or 1 in 14 jobs ,in 2009 close to a million jobs; directly 4.1% and indirectly 9.8 % and
about 4.5% of GDP (WTTC, 2015). . In 2006, the sector was the 3rd highest foreign
exchange earner after coffee and oilseeds - US$ 132 m from 150,000 inbound tourists. In
2009, it became the largest foreign exchange earner with receipts of $1.1bn from 330,000
tourists. The number of inbound tourists has also increased significantly over the last
decade from 81,581 arrivals in 1995 to 227, 398in 2005; 330,000 in 2009- an average growth
rate of 13%since 2002. According to MoCT Tourism statistic Bulleten-2009-2012, the number of
registered hotels from 426 units with 14,118 rooms in 2009 to 595 units with 19,998 rooms in
2012. In respect to the tour operators, the ministry indicated that there are 310 legally registered
tour operators in the country employing 2500 employees. In general, the tourism industry is
estimated to employ 700,000 employees (World Bank, 2012). According to World travel and
tourism council data (WTTC) in 2007 tourism has created 9.8% of the overall employment
opportunity. And it was in 2010 that tourism has created 4.1% direct tourism employment
opportunity. Likely, Visitor exports generated ETB46 Billion (35.4% of total exports) in 2014.
Significant hotel likely grow from 900 to 1700 by 2017 with the completion of a number
of important hotel investments.

9. Gaps in implementing the tourism policy

 The policy has not been implemented to a significant degree. for instance the
objectives of 2009 policy ensure the country’s full benefits by turning Ethiopia
into a particularly preferred destination in Africa fail to implement .
 Most of the stakeholders such as the federal government, regional government,
private sectors and local communities are not fully playing their roles in
implementing the policy.
 Heritages of the country has not been adequately protected, developed and used
as a tourist attraction.
 One of the policy objective is ,To build an industry that can lengthen the tourist’s
stay by solving observed limitations in service in the sector and provide for the
progressive growth of capacity in tourist facilities deployed in the field. But there

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 is a gap in Performing arts, entertainment services and other local creative
products, which could have helped to lengthen the stay of visitors, are not offered
in sufficient variety. In addition, there is a gap there is a serious shortage in
number and type of tourist facilities. Moreover, the quality of service is poor and
unsatisfactory to tourists.
 One of the policy objective is build an industry that can lengthen the tourist’s stay
by solving observed limitations in service in the sector and provide for the
progressive growth of capacity in tourist facilities deployed in the field but There
is a shortage of trained manpower that is crucial to the development of the sector.
 The objectives of image building is fail because Ethiopia’s image on the
international scene is widely associated with draught, famine and war.
 The horn of Africa is regarded as a region of instability and terrorism.
 Focusing only political gain and damage heritages
 Coordination problem.

10. Analysis on the Tourism Development

Ethiopia’s tourism has been more focused on the socio-cultural and historical aspects of the
country’s development in order to gain more tourist attraction focusing on natural aspects of the
country is more relevant as Tadesse Kidane-Mariam also describe in his research paper focusing
on socio cultural aspect is one hinders for tourism development.

Indonesia inscribed only 8 property and cultural heritages and Ethiopia inscribed 9 property and
three cultural heritages in UNESCO Ethiopia is inscribed more properties and culture but
Indonesian tourist arrival is more 5 times to Ethiopia why because the focus on natural aspect
tourism natural aspect tourism attracts more tourists than socio- cultural aspect this assumption
works practically in Indonesia . Among 8 UNESCO inscribed places of Indonesia four of them is
Natural, Komodo National Park (1991),Lorentz National Park (1999),Tropical rain forest,
Heritage of Sumatra (2004) this is the witness even they asking for consideration for nomination
by UNESCO their focusing aspect is natural they also using their natural resource for tourism .
Indonesia Foreign tourist arrivals reached 15.8 million in 2018, 13 percent more than a year
earlier. Five times yearly Ethiopian tourist arrivals. Indonesian tourism focus is natural aspects

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more tourist destination of Indonesia is islands of Bali and Lombok they have so many resort
islands. in Ethiopia one lake alone (lake Tana) have 13 islands but there is no resorts there even
the islands have not any staying places there you even feel you are in the dark or stone age
there is no light no water and no any infrastructure nobody can wait even for one day there .

The nature-focused tourism of Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda has attracted more foreign
tourists though Ethiopia’s outstanding biodiversity and agro-ecological zones could match and
even surpass the East African nature tourism potential.
Unfortunately, the low level of development, marketing and promotion of nature tourism has
resulted in many foreigners going to East Africa sidestepping Ethiopia. The Addis Ababa -Upper
rift valley corridor could easily develop into a vibrant and sustainable tourist destination
for both domestic and foreign visitors. The wide range of natural resources and most
developed infrastructures and services along the corridor lend it special significance.
(Kidanemariam, 2017)

Ethiopia's image in the international arena has been one of the darkest since 1974 revolution.
“There is a widely held perception of Ethiopia that equates it withfamine” (Shanka& Frost,
1999:1-3).[ CITATION Tek16 \l 1033 ]

According to [ CITATION DrB16 \l 1033 ] tourism infrastructure is at its infancy; tourist products
are poorly maintained; access to tourist products are difficult and can be inappropriately
expensive; and there is a lack of marketing to attract tourists to the country, and a lack of
marketing of tourist attractions once tourists are in the country. The lack of marketing within
Ethiopia is evidenced by the profound absence of tourism information at Addis Ababa’s Bole
International Airport. There is a lack of signage to tourist attractions and it is almost impossible
to find brochures or maps of the city or its attractions.

Seeing the country as symbol of tragedy is another factor Tekabe research finding also indicate
that as follows:-
The foreign tourists have a wrong image especially, before coming to Ethiopia; they feel that
Ethiopia is an indications war and an example of poor countries... (Sheferahu, 2016)

In addition, the country’s hotel infrastructure has yet to reach a critical mass to attract more
tourists. It was noted that there were only 900 high end hotel rooms (Sheraton, Radisson

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Blu and Hilton). (Kidanemariam, 2017)
Price discrimination on local and tourist also negative impacts on tourism and Tourist products
are quickly becoming expensive, which in the long run could impact negatively on tourism in the
While not making light of the anti-government protest action and sporadic ethnic conflict
experiencedcountry. For example, prices at tourist highlights, such as Lalibela, have sky-
rocketed.
Anti-government protest action and sporadic ethnic conflict experienced have influence on
tourist attraction; begging tourists for money and robbery are other hinders for tourism
development [ CITATION DrB16 \l 1033 ] agree on this statement: _

In 2016 (Protests across Ethiopia leave more than 12 dead, 2016), these have not escalated into
widespread conflict, and more importantly, Ethiopia has not experienced terrorist attacks against
tourists. From this perspective, travelling in Ethiopia is relatively safe, although petty crime
against tourists is a concern. While the researcher was in Addis Ababa, many tourists and visitors
encountered reported having experienced some level of crime. From an attempted pick-pocketing
to an entire backpack being stolen (with all the crucial documents and funds), it seemed as
though petty crime was a growing concern for the city.
poor sanitation standards and unsavory conditions in smaller hotels and restaurants; ‘tourist-
baiting’; mismanagement of tourist products and resources; lack of trained manpower; neglect of
major cultural sites; and lack of regulation and monitoring of tourist infrastructure and services
are the neglected but need attention issue.
Nowadays there is still a lack of professionals. Human capacities within the management of the
Ethiopian tourism industry are still low as an advisor (Interview 9- 2007) of the Ministry of
Culture and Tourism stated.[ CITATION Tek16 \l 1033 ]

Focusing on political gain and ignoring tourism benefits and coordination problems are hinders,
very recently incident is credential for it .i take some notice during the time of the incident while
one of UNESCO inscribed place as most spectacular landscapes in the world, with jagged
mountain peaks, deep valleys and sharp precipices dropping some 1,500 m. The park is home to
some extremely rare animals such as the Gelada baboon, the Simien fox and the Walia ibex, a
goat found nowhere else in the world burnt for couple of weeks without the interference of the
government to save it.

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The fire at #SemienMountains National Park, a UNESCO registered site and home to rare
#endemicanimals #WaliaIbex, #SimienWolf, and #GeladaBaboons, continues for a week as there
is little to no response from the federal government that claims to have adopted ecologically
sustainable tourism. While the local community members including University students are
desperately trying to prevent the fire from expanding, it is now beyond the ability of man-only
operation and the regional state to control the fire without full federal support as this is a matter
of national interest! On-air operation supported by aircraft fire extinguishing technology is a
must! As #Ethiopia doesn’t have aircraft based fire extinguishing capability, it was reported that
help from Kenya, South Africa and France was on the way, but nothing so far!
#SaveSemienMountains.

The other incident is ,

በቅርስነት የተመዘገበ ቤት፣ "ቤት እገነባለሁ" በሚል የመንግሥት ተቋም ዛሬ በዶዘር ፈረሰ!!!

( Sertse Firesbhat ) ====================================

ዛሬ መጋቢት ፲፯ ቀን ፳፻፲፩ ዓ.ም. ከቀኑ አምስት ሰዓት አካባቢ "በፌደራል ቤቶች ኮርፖሬሽን" ታዘን ነው

የሚሉ ማንነታቸው ያልታወቁ ግለሰቦች፣ በፎቶ ግራፉ ላይ የምታዩትን በቅርስነት የተመዘገበ ውብ የመኖሪያ

ቤት ግብረ ሕንጻ በዶዘር አፍርሰውታል።

ይህ የዐዲስ አበባን ቀዳሚ ዘመናዊ የመኖሪያ ግብረ ሕንጻዎች የሚያስታውሰን ውብ መኖሪያ ቤት፥

የደጃዝማች ዐምዴ አበራ ካሳ (የልዑል ራስ ካሳ ኃይሉ የልጅ ልጅ) መኖሪያ ቤት ነበረ። ከተገነባ ፹(80) ዓመታት

ያለፉት ይህ ድንቅ በቅርስነት የተመዘገበ ቤት፣ የበርካታ የፊልም ጥበብ ባለሙያዎችን እና የሙዚቃ ቪዲዮ

ፕሮዲውሰሮችን ቀልብ የሳበ፣ ብዙዎችም ቀረፃ ያካሔዱበት መኖሪያ ቤት ነበር።…

የፌደራሉ ቤቶች ኮርፖሬሽን ከቅርብ ጊዜ ወዲህ "ቤቱን አፍርሼ የመኖሪያ አፓርትመንት እገነባበታለሁ"

በማለት፣ የአፓርትመንት ዲዛይን አሠርቶ ይፋ ያደረገ ሲኾን፣ የወረዳ ፩ አስተዳደር እና የየካ ክፍለ ከተማ

ባሕል፣ ኪነ ጥበብ እና ቱሪዝም ቢሮ፤ በቅርስነት ተመዘገበውን ይህንን ቤት በተመለከተ ከያዘው ከፈሕገ ወጥ

ዕቅድ የፌደራል መሥሪያ ቤቱ እንዲታቀብ የተለያዩ እንቅስቃሴዎችን ሲያደርግ ቆይቷል።…

In Ethiopia Whenever, government change one need is damaging the older heritage this is a great
factor.

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Many tourist sites have not accountable bodies for them, for instance Simen Mountain Park and
Hailecilace palace the two places are under federal government authority.
Whenever you go to at Hailesilase palace, you witnessed many tourists try to visit the place
because it entitled as tourist site but whenever you try to visit it there is not entrance to the place.
”Why ministrey of culture and tourism entitled this place as tourist sites if it is not visited by
gusts” ? It is under a quotation mark. In addition, we all remember what happened on one of
UNESCO’s recognized site destroyed by our negligence and losing attention for protection.
UNESCO promised to give financial aid in its long-term plan as follows “Significant financial
support is needed for the management of the park, and the development of alternative livelihood
options for local communities. The development, implementation, review and monitoring of a
management plan and the revision and extension of the park boundaries, with the full
participation of local communities, is essential. Community partnership is particularly important
to both reduce community dependence on unsustainable use of the resources of the national park,
and also to develop sustainable livelihoods. Adequate finance to support resettlement of
populations living in the property, on a voluntary basis, and to introduce effective management
of grazing is also essential to reduce the extreme pressure on wildlife. Improving and increasing
ecotourism facilities, without impairing the park’s natural and scenic values, has great potential
to create additional revenue for the property. Environmental education and training programs are
also needed to support communities in and around the property as well as to maintain community
support and partnership in the management of the property in order to ensure it remains of
Outstanding Universal Value.” But no governmental body enforced UNESCO for its promises
the worst is federal government takes a couple of weeks to call help from international body why
it may have political analysis for it. The government could not recognize its universal values.
one of the policy strategy is Community participation tourism development and it is effective in
some area ,some households engaged in tourism activities to earn money for themselves but
Community partnership is particularly important to reduce community dependence on
unsustainable use of the resources of the tourism sites , and also to develop sustainable
livelihoods. However, the huge damage arose by the community throughout the nation. Three
year ago I was in south Gojam to produce radio program around “Adite “what I saw there notice
me there is gaps on the government to aware the community regarding the benefits of tourism .
the place name is ‘sosetigu Nise’ and the place is historical place on the high king ‘Fasil’ built

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palace there to not emphasizing the building is even beautiful than the Gonder ‘Fasil’ building
but you can assume it the same as ‘Fasiledes’ palace. Unfortunately this historical heritage
damaged by the community, nobody tried to protect the heritage both on the government and on
the community side. Finally the some part of the building and underground house remained safe
without any body help. The structure of the heritage is like this beautiful and UNESCO
recognized heritage.

Fasil Ginb,UNESCO inscribed as world outstanding heritage

Some of the remaining parts indicate that the two building are built in the same manner I also got
the information king Fasil prepared this palace before the building of Gonder and still there is
underground road from the palace to the nearest church.

11. Conclusions
Despite the fact that tourist arrivals is at an increasing mode, the sector in general is under
performing compares to neighboring destinations. Various domestic and international challenges
are attributed to the low performance of the sector. Though the tourism development policy was
designed well, the proper implementation of it is easier said than done. Lack of resources, weak
coordination of institutions and failure of various stakeholders in playing their role are some of
the causes for poor implementation.
The contribution of tourism to the economic benefits and economic diplomacy is totally ignored in the
policy document. As an ancient country, Ethiopia has so many tourist attractions including natural,
historical and cultural sites. Some of them are registered as World Heritage by UNESCO. But, when
compared with some African countries Ethiopia is not benefiting from tourism. Thus, there is a need to

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conduct cultural diplomacy to strengthen the benefits of tourism to economic development. In that regard,
the foreign policy document should incorporate the role of tourism to the economic development of the
country.

12 .Recommendation
To develop the tourism potential and let it contribute in the effort to reduce poverty and
underdevelopment in Ethiopia, finding the main determinants of tourist flows in the country is of great
necessity. Also the foreign policy document should incorporate the role of tourism to the economic
development of the country. In this globalized world outbound tourism is used as a tool in China’s,
Greek ,France ,Ghana and Kenya ‘s foreign policy, particularly in the central government’s efforts to
strengthen ties with overseas . Ethiopia should give a great focus for tourism by ting it with foreign
policies. The tourism development policy also needs detail explanation and the policy.
Especially, it needs to be working not only image building but also good image creation on reality.
because image building cannot be effective without reality there must be change on the ground, ministry
of tourism and culture should work to change hinders of tourism such as begging habit on the society and
cheating .moreover empowering human power and awareness creation on the community have paramount
importance for tourism development.

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Works Cited
Ali, Y. (2016). Challenge and Prospect of Ethiopian Tourism Policy. Journal of Tourism, Hospitality and
Sports, 44.

JOHNY. (2013, march 7). https://onestep4ward.com. Retrieved march 15, 1019, from
https://onestep4ward.com: https://onestep4ward.com

Kidanemariam, T. (2017). Ethiopia: Opportunities and Challenges of Tourism Development in the Addis
Ababa-upper Rift Valley Corridor. tourism and hospitality, 4 of 9.

Mulalim, Y. (2010). THE ETHIOPIAN DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH INSTITUTE WORKING PAPER,

2-30.

Robinson*, D. B. (2016). Tourism in Ethiopia:un rrgent opportunity for economic diversfication. African
Journal of Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure, 1-20.

Sheferahu, T. S. (2016). Challenges and Prospectus of Ethiopian Tourism Industry. International Journal
of Scientific and Research Publications, Volume 6,, 774-784.

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