Ethiopia to tap new tourism markets like India, China, Turkey and Russia

The Ethiopian Tourism sector is hoping to weather the global recession by developing its unique attractions, boosting private sector involvement and tapping new markets like China, India and Russia. According to a report in The New Vision, about 4, 00,000 holidaymakers visited the huge Horn of Africa nation last year, and the authorities said that they expect it to increase to half a million this year. Their target is one million within five years. “In spite of the crisis, there are frequent visitors. There are niche tourist’s who want to discover Ethiopia and that is a good omen,” Mohamoud Dirir, Tourism Minister, Ethiopia told Reuters. Ethiopia’s tourist attractions range from the rock-hewn churches of Lalibela to the giant Axum obelisk and desert sites where scientists unearthed evidence of the birth of humanity. Mohamoud stated, “At a time when continental tourism leaders like Egypt and Kenya were fast developing their facilities and infrastructure, we missed an important trend in terms of major investments. Now we want to enhance Public-Private-Partnerships (PPP) and focus on our comparative advantages.