In September, Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD) was named Champion of Tourism by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the eight-nation bloc of East Africa. This three-year appointment follows his leadership in the Green Legacy reforestation campaign and coincides with a series of international accolades for Ethiopia’s eco-tourism efforts.
In 2021 and 2022, the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) honored the eco-villages of Wonchi and Choke Mountains, located in central-western Ethiopia, as premier eco-tourism destinations. The trend continued in 2023 with Lepis Ecotourism Village in Oromia State receiving the same recognition, marking Ethiopia as a consistent recipient of eco-tourism awards over the past three years.
While Ethiopia’s reputation for green initiatives flourishes, Abiy’s administration has simultaneously poured billions into the development of national parks and lodges that highlight the country’s natural and cultural heritage. These developments are strategically situated to link northern and southern Ethiopia’s historical routes, according to Sileshi Girma, Ethiopia’s State Minister of Tourism. “We’re creating connections between these attractions, and the country’s historical routes,” Sileshi said.
RELATED POSTS
However, the timing of the country’s tourism push has sparked controversy, with critics questioning the wisdom of such heavy investment amid ongoing security concerns. “Peace is essential for tourism,” Sileshi acknowledged in an interview with The Reporter Magazine. “But we cannot operate from a narrow perspective. Security issues are transient, and we expect them to be resolved. Our tourism strategy is built on an optimistic outlook, anticipating that both local and foreign tourists will be able to explore the country freely. We are aware of the current challenges, but we believe they will be overcome.”
Despite the backdrop of ongoing instability, the government has pressed on unveiling several large-scale projects—CheberaChurchura, Halala Kela, Wonchi, and Gorgora—at varying distances from Addis Ababa. The capital itself, home to the African Union and UNECA, now boasts metropolitan parks such as Friendship, Unity, and Entoto Parks.
Sileshi noted that the government has shifted focus toward strengthening the supply side of tourism by enhancing destinations and expanding services. “Our goal is to transform attractions into fully developed tourist destinations,” he explained. Tourism is now one of the five priority sectors under Ethiopia’s Home-Grown Economic Reform agenda, signalling a move away from a traditionally agriculture- or industry-led economy.
Education and training are also central to this strategy. The government is investing in tourism education, with over 10 universities now offering tourism-related programs, supplemented by vocational training centers. This effort aims to create a skilled workforce capable of supporting the sector’s growth.
Asked whether the country’s high-end tourist projects are seeing returns on investment, Sileshi responded positively. He cited the success of Entoto, Friendship, and Unity Parks, which have attracted millions of visitors annually. “Unity Park alone drew a quarter of a million visitors in a single year,” he said, adding that such turnout is usually seen only during religious festivals.
Ethiopia’s tourism potential is underpinned by its wealth of historical, natural, and cultural attractions. Despite efforts to boost its tourism infrastructure, questions remain regarding the number of foreign tourists visiting the country. To address this, Ethiopia recently launched a Tourist Satellite Account (TSA) system, aimed at providing accurate data on tourist flows, behaviours, stays, and revenue generated from the sector.
Yet, controversy persists. In his first speech to a joint parliamentary session, the newly designated President Taye Astkeselassie claimed that Ethiopia had welcomed more than 1 million foreign tourists over the past year. Whether this number accurately reflects the reality on the ground remains a topic of debate as Ethiopia continues to balance its tourism ambitions with the ever-present challenge of security.
Nahome Admassu, managing director of Pleasure Ethiopia Tours and Travel, offered a candid assessment of Ethiopia’s tourism landscape. According to Nahome, a significant portion of those counted as foreign tourists are actually Ethiopian-Americans, who often return on tourist visas but spend the majority of their time with family, rather than engaging in traditional tourist activities.
“While this could be an opportunity to tap into in the future, the focus so far has been on foreign tourists. Over the past several years, however, we haven’t seen many of them,” Nahome said. The tour operator, who contributed to developing Ethiopia’s new Tourism Satellite Account (TSA), shared how his business was decimated by the dual blows of the COVID-19 pandemic and the conflict in northern Ethiopia, causing the flow of tourists to nearly a halt.
“Tourism came to a standstill, and my company struggled just to stay afloat. Shutting down a business is far more difficult than starting one, but I remained optimistic that the sector would eventually rebound,” he explained.
For months, Nahome was unable to pay office rent, as his clientele, primarily from Europe (with a significant portion from Italy), dwindled. “October and November used to be peak season, with operators like me busy taking foreign tourists to South Omo, where they’d witness cultural rites like the Hamar tribe’s cattle-jumping ceremony or the Ivangadi, a mesmerizing evening of song and dance,” he said wistfully, surrounded by photos and paintings of Ethiopia’s stunning tourist destinations.
Before the downturn, Nahome typically hosted around 30 foreign tourists each year, with each visitor spending approximately USD 130 per day, according to UNWTO estimates. However, less than 12 percent of that amount trickled down to tour operators like himself. “There are signs of a rebound now, but the ongoing security challenges remain a serious concern,” he said.
One of the major hurdles for tourism, Nahome explained,is the impact of foreign travel warnings issued by embassies. Negative international media coverage compounds the issue, discouraging tourists from visiting Ethiopia. “Whenever instability is reported in one part of the country, tourists tend to avoid the whole country. Tour operators could counter this narrative by highlighting safe zones and making them more visible to potential visitors,” he said. Additionally, he pointed out that foreign insurance companies are highly responsive to travel warnings, often refusing to provide travel insurance to citizens planning to visit countries flagged as insecure.
“Ethiopia should consider offering its own travel insurance to guarantee the safety of foreign tourists, as much of the negative coverage doesn’t accurately reflect the situation on the ground,” Nahome suggested.
Accurate data on Ethiopia’s tourism sector has also been elusive. For example, the State Minister of Tourism estimates that the sector contributes nearly seven percent to the country’s GDP, while other figures place it at just 2.6 percent, creating a significant gap. Nahome, however, is not surprised by this discrepancy.
“Without a comprehensive TSA, these gaps in data were inevitable. But now that Ethiopia has implemented a self-updating TSA, we can expect the 2024 data to be far more accurate and reliable,” he said. He also noted that past data failed to account for factors like group size, which plays a crucial role in determining tourist revenues. “A lone tourist spends much more than a group.”
Both Nahome and the State Minister agree that Ethiopia is uniquely positioned to capitalize on stopover tourism, thanks to Ethiopian Airlines, which transports up to 12 million passengers annually. Conference tourism is another promising avenue, as Addis Ababa, home to the African Union, the UN Economic Commission for Africa, and several other international organizations, ranks 5th in Africa as a conference tourism destination. “There needs to be more coordinated promotion of Ethiopia’s conference tourism potential,” the State Minister emphasized.
Recently, Ethiopian Airlines Group signed a memorandum of understanding with Ethiopian Tourist Trading Enterprise (ETTE) to build Ethiopia’s first duty-free mall. According to the press release, the mall will “curate a world-class shopping and leisure environment that showcases luxury and international brands while promoting local culture and Ethiopia’s burgeoning aviation and tourism sectors.”
