Ethiopia-France Tourism Webinar conducted

Addis Ababa, April 27, 2021 (FBC) -The Honorary Consulate of Ethiopia and the France-Ethiopia Business Club in collaboration with the Ethiopian Embassy in Paris, France, organized a webinar today entitled ‘Promoting Ethiopian Tourism Opportunities to the French Private Sector Companies’.

Dr Hirut Kassaw, Minister of Culture and Tourism of Ethiopia in her keynote speech recalled the historic relationship that existed between Ethiopia and France and the multifaceted cooperation forged between the two friendly countries.

By highlighting the wide range of tourism potentials that Ethiopia offers and considering the strong relationship between the two countries, the Minister expressed her hope that the meeting is a momentous occasion to create awareness about those potentials with a view to stimulating French tourism flows into Ethiopia.

Henok Tefera, Ambassador of Ethiopia to France, in his opening speech-cum-presentation highlighted the favorable outlook ahead, according to the latest report by the UNWTO, due to, among others, the expanded roll out of vaccines, for the International tourism to rebound in the later part of the year 2021 from its unprecedented downfall in the year 2020 and early part of 20021 because of the COVID -19 pandemic.

He called upon the French Private sector companies to include Ethiopia in their tour packages given that France is well known as a source of outbound tourism on the one hand and that Ethiopia is endowed with immense tourism attractions on the other.

Sileshi Girma, the CEO of Tourism Ethiopia and his deputy dwelt on the socio-economic importance of the tourism sector in the Ethiopian economy, the top priority attached to the sector by the Ethiopian government as well as walked the participants through a range of historic, cultural ,archaeological and natural tourist attractions of Ethiopia.

Nebiat Haile Michael, Regional Manager France and Maghreb of the Ethiopian Airlines spoke about the domestic and international connectivity offered by the Ethiopian Airlines by adding that Ethiopia has been rated as ‘Safe Travel Destination’ by the World Travel and Tourism Council, on February 19,2021.

A number of participants expressed their appreciation for the Webinar and posed a series of queries to which Sileshi Girma, Ambassador Henok Tefera and Nebiat provided detailed answers.

A total of 77 companies’ representatives composed mainly of the French Private Sector companies as well as the members of the Ethiopian Tour Operators Association attended the meeting, according to Ethiopian Embassy in Paris, France.