By: Fistum Getachew

Tourism is one of the most important and lucrative industries in the world that generates billions of dollars for many countries. This is so even for the so-called advanced economies, which have multiple other sources of income. Tourism is, however, a very vital source of income for certain countries that totally or almost totally rely on it for their economic survival. Many countries that are situated amid oceans and with wonderful beaches and resort areas rely a lot on tourism to keep their economies flourishing or suffer setbacks. This is true also of many other countries that work a lot to exploit all of their tourist attractions to the maximum and manage to earn substantial income from it.

In Europe, almost all countries have uncountable tourist attractions that originate from their hundreds of years of history expressed in their constructions and architectural treasures, such as wonderful basilicas with multiple shapes and styles, numerous magnificent monuments built to honor their national heroes not only in wars and battlefields but also in other fields such as literature, sciences, arts, sculpture, and painting, and well-reputed spacious castles and other manifestations of ancient civilization. These countries have also mastered through experience how to make the best of their tourist attractions and make them very accessible to tourists. Tourists know what to expect from these countries also because they have enough information that they can find from the promotion videos and publicity disseminated in multiple international mass media and social media and websites about what to see and in which season, etc. They realize that without adequate publicity, people may not know about the existence of these tourist sites and the loss is substantial.

Tourism is hence well organized and prepared so that all those who prefer to come and visit these countries will feel at home and pleasantly enjoy their stay in the selected destinations. All those who have enjoyed their stay will not only be fond of returning for another visit but also tell their family members and friends to do the same. Word of mouth is one of the most effective means of promotion of a tourist destination, more so than what the very owners of the attractions present in their promos using various media outlets. These media may be seen with certain skepticism because publicities are often considered as a bit exaggerated and to learn it from a friend could be more reliable and convincing.

Since the income that is derived from tourism is substantial for any country, particularly those endowed with multiple famous attractions, countries have focused on how to prepare for the potential tourists who might come to their country. They prepare the right modes of transportation so that access to the tourist sites is very comfortable and efficient, hotels and lodges are up to international standards, and services are first-class and given by well-qualified staff that are well-versed in the major international languages of the world. Besides, the security situation of the country should not only be safe and reliable but also not be susceptible of wrong perceptions. This is vital because tourists never take risks with their safety and even the slightest suspicion that there could be a security risk, they would prefer another destination where they have no worries of any sort.

In many circumstances, African countries have been at a disadvantage due to the bad publicity many international media disseminate regarding the security situation. Such prejudice has deprived many African countries from earning what they could easily do. Tourists are very sensitive to whatever negative information they might receive regarding not only the security situation but also the kinds of food and accommodations they might be served. They inquire a lot about the means of transportation and other facilities they cannot do without. They inquire about the attitude of the general population regarding tourists from far-off countries and they like to have welcoming people who treat them with courtesy and smiles.

The number of tourists in the world has been increasing at an enormous pace also because the standard of living in many countries has grown over the years and with the most up-to-date means of transportation well spread across the world, movements and travels have become easier and more comfortable and are now carried out more and more frequently. With people now having more and more income than before, with their countries of origin getting richer and richer, their desire to discover the world and entertain themselves with a lot of trips around the world increases.

Years ago, the largest number of tourists used to come from the advanced countries of the world, such as the US, Germany, and France, and also from countries such as Japan, etc. But now with the extraordinary advancements in their economy, the number of Chinese tourists has skyrocketed and the market is now dominated by them. There are also a lot of tourists from the Middle East, and they travel everywhere where there are famous attractions. In this regard, the European destinations are very famous because, in a way, the history of the world is well concentrated in those European countries with extraordinary chapters. Certain cities can be called ‘museum cities’ because at every corner there is an important piece of history to be visited. One can take as an example Rome, in Italy.

The tourism industry in Africa is not as ‘fortunate’ as it is in other continents for a number of reasons. There are many limitations in African countries that need to be removed and rectified so that tourists list them among their favorite destinations. It is true that coming to Africa is cheaper and there are many tourist sites that are special. Beginning from the natural habitats of wonderful wildlife to the beauty of the landscapes, the warm weather conditions and the beautiful beaches across the coasts, these can be among the preferred items of tourism in Africa. Countries such as Egypt, Morocco, South Africa, and Kenya can be cited as among the ones that are reputed by tourists and hence benefit a lot from their name. But Ethiopia can also very easily join such a list because it has so much to give to tourists.

In the last few years alone there has been a tremendous rise in the expansion of tourist sites in Ethiopia. Following the policy of the government to focus on the potential of tourism in Ethiopia and recognizing that there are countless historical, cultural, and archeological attractions that can very easily conquer the attention and taste of tourists, Ethiopia is now working hard to take full advantage of this industry. While celebrating the tourism week, the Ethiopian government with its Ministry of Tourism has been publicizing well the various attractions and giving as much information as possible on how to get there and what to expect.

The recently adopted Home Grown Economic Reform has included tourism as one of its pillars along with other sectors such as the manufacturing industry, agro-horticulture, minerals, and the service sector. A lot of activities are being carried out to upgrade the sites already known to a new standard and present many new ones, such as resort areas in various parts of the country. One can mention initiatives such as ‘Dine for the Nation’ and ‘Dine for Addis’ launched by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD) with the new policy of involving not only the government but also the public and private sectors.

It is not very difficult to promote tourism in Ethiopia because the country has all sorts of attractions that are very difficult to find in a single country. Ethiopia has a long history to present to tourists who are interested in history, as witnessed by the historical relics that abound the country. It has a remarkable culture to present and the testimony is the number of UNESCO-registered world heritage sites that are protected as such. Just this Ethiopian month of ‘Meskerem’ (September), there are so many cultural and religious festivals that can easily fascinate tourists who come here to attend these so-called ‘open-air festivals,’ such as Meskel Damera, Irrecha, and the various new year festivities that take place in multiple regions, especially in the south of the country, not only in connection with the new year that decrees the end of the rainy season, but also with the comprehensive festivity of Meskel celebrated in various ways, not only limited to its religious aspect but also its cultural one. It is known that Meskel is one of the various intangible cultural heritages inscribed by UNESCO when it comes to Ethiopia.

However, the government realizes that there are lots of things to improve and change so that tourism thrives in Ethiopia and reaches the levels that are commensurate with its real potential. A huge promotion is, of course, one of the first factors to focus on and work hard on; inform people of what sort of natural and manmade riches Ethiopia avails in every potential tourist attraction. What is more, tourism should not be considered merely an item reserved for foreigners. Domestic tourism also has huge potential because nationals should be encouraged to visit their country and know better its people and cultures that abound in it. This would promote more tolerance and understanding among people of various ethnic origins, religious faiths, and other cultural expressions.

Prejudice and misunderstanding among the multiple nationalities in Ethiopia are destined to expire and be irrelevant when there is more understanding among people and that in turn would lead to harmony and peace. It goes without saying that peace is a prerequisite for any kind of initiative and is, of course, vital for the expansion and growth of tourism and fosters economic growth and contributes to the path to the kind of prosperity that all Ethiopians aspire to attain.