Ethiopia striving to position itself as leading tourism destination in Africa – Minister
Addis Ababa, January 7, 2025 (FMC) – Ethiopian Tourism Minister Selamawit Kassa revealed that efforts are underway to make Ethiopia a preferred tourism destination in Africa by enhancing existing tourism destinations and expanding into new ones that meet international standards.
The Minister made the remark during the Gena celebration, the Ethiopian Christmas, held in Lalibela, home to the UNESCO-inscribed Rock-Hewn Churches, a remarkable world heritage site.
Gena colorfully celebrated in Lalibela in the presence of the faithful and many international tourists.
On the occasion, the Minister emphasized that the development and expansion of tourism destinations aimed to ensure that local communities at all levels benefit from the sector.
In particular, the historical city of Lalibela, renowned for its rock-hewn churches, is currently in the spotlight as it celebrates the Ethiopian Christmas (Gena) festival, showcasing the Amhara Region’s unique cultural heritage.
The Minister stated that efforts improving infrastructures to make accessible these historical sites and heritages for visitors is underway in collaboration with international organizations like UNESCO, stressing that promoting infrastructures around cultural festivals and traditional events is essential for attracting more visitors to the country.
Moreover, the Minister added that increasing the number of tourism service providers and boosting tourism investment will help generate foreign currency and bolster Ethiopia’s economy.
Ethiopia has ambitious plan to establish itself as a preferred tourist destination in Africa, with a strong focus on enhancing its global tourism profile, she noted.
In this respect, her Ministry is actively working on creating a more inclusive tourism sector that benefits all communities by developing the existing ones, expanding new destinations and leveraging technologies, she explained.
She mentioned about the government’s strong attention given to the development of Lalibela as a tourism destination to ensure its preservation and promote it for future generations, emphasizing the ongoing projects in the area to improve visitor access and enhance the overall tourist experience, while encouraging community engagement in tourism initiatives.
Selamawit further pointed out that Ethiopia, with all these efforts, is poised to strengthen its position in the competitive tourism market, promising a sustainable and prosperous future for its tourism sector.
Minister Selamawit alongside with officials from the Amhara regional state, underscored the importance of community involvement in tourism development, remarking on Ethiopia’s wealth of natural and historical sites that deserve to be highlighted on the global stage.