Tourism picking up after war with Eritrea

Tourism generated more than US $77 million in Ethiopia last year, marking a big increase in the number of visitors to the country, according to the national tourism commission.

The Ethiopian Tourism Commission (ETC) said the number of foreign visitors to the country had increased by more than 30 percent in a single year. It estimated that 146,600 tourists entered the country last year – an increase of almost 40,000 visitors on the previous year.

"The income from tourism plays a very important part in the development of the country," a spokesman for the ETC told IRIN. "We need foreign currency." He said the ETC has been taking part in trade fairs around the world to promote tourism in the country.

Ethiopia’s tourist industry had been severely dented by the two year border war with Eritrea. Thousands of visitors decided to stay away and towards the end of the conflict, tourism had slumped to 109,000 visitors in 2000 – spending around US $16 million.

But, the ETC says, the trade is now picking up. Among the favourite sites in the country are the ancient monuments of Axum and the centuries-old rock hewn churches in Lalibela. Gondar, nicknamed Africa’s Camelot after its castles and churches, has also been a major attraction with visitors also making trips into the Simien Mountains – a world heritage site.

Ethiopia at present has seven UNESCO World Heritage sites that act as a magnet to many tourists. Tourists are also now flocking to the south of the country to see the diverse ethnic groups who live in the harsh environment of the Omo valley. Among the most visited groups is the Mursi tribe, renowned for the huge clay lip plate worn by the women.

The ETC is aiming to pull in around 320,000 tourists this year – bringing in vital funds for the country. But some tour operators argue that not enough is being done to ease the passage for tourists. It is still extremely difficult to pay by credit card and tourists also pay double the price to fly on domestic flights.

Five years ago there were just a handful of tour operators, but now they are bourgeoning as the fight for vital tourist dollars intensifies. Earlier this month, the Ethiopian authorities said that tourists coming from 33 countries would be able to get visas upon arrival at Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa. Major work is also underway to develop the airport and allow more flights in.