Tour packages prepared for tourists coming to attend the UNESCO inscribed Timket festival: MoT

Addis Ababa January 16, 2023 (FBC) – Ministry of Tourism (MoT) disclosed that exclusive tour packages have been prepared for tourist coming to Ethiopia to attend the Timket festival.

Timket (Ethiopian Epiphany) is celebrated across the country with various religious and cultural events marking the baptism of Jesus Christ in the River Jordan.

This year the festival will be celebrated nationally with special programs in various towns and cities of Ethiopia including Gondar, Lalibela, Ziway and Bahir Dar where Tourists are invited to attend.

State Minister of Tourism Seleshi Girma Exclusively told Fana Broadcasting Corporate that Timket is being celebrating in Gondar with special events by Ethiopians, members of the Diaspora community and international visitors for a long time.

He said that the Ministry has prepared a special tour packages so that guests who come to attend Timket festival can not only celebrate the festival, but also visit other tourist attraction sites in Gondar area and in different parts of Ethiopia.

The state Minister explained that the exclusive tour packages include activities the Ministry is undertaking to invite tourists to visit attraction cites in Addis Ababa, the South, North, West and East of Ethiopia after or before the Timket festival.

Efforts have been made to encourage the Diaspora community and international visitors to come to Ethiopia for Timket festival and to encourage Ethiopian ambassadors to see and promote Timket in Gondar, Seleshi added.

State Minister Seleshi, stated that preparations to celebrate the Timket festival in Gondar have been completed, adding that foreign diplomats, members of parliament, tour operators and owners, media and other parties are expected to attend the ceremony.

Seleshi called up on the faithful and all stakeholders to discharge their responsibility in keeping the hospitality of Ethiopians as the festival is a world heritage that goes beyond a religious practices.

He also called on everyone to stand by the tourism community as it is the time to contribute to the growth of the sector that has been stagnant due to covid-19 pandemic and the war in the northern part of the country.

He also mentioned that the spiritual content of the Timket festival is the main basis, where traditional clothes, various ornaments, food and drinks are offered and sold.

Timket, which is one of outdoor festivals in Ethiopia, is a two-day celebration.  It was registered as Intangible Cultural Heritages of Humanity by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 2019.

By: Yonathan Yoseph