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According to a report in TravelDailyNews.com, Enchanting tourist attractions, extraordinary diplomatic stature and a thriving airliner have placed Ethiopia, Land of Origins, on top of the world when it comes to tourism development. As indicated by the World Travel and Tourism Council's (WTTC) annual review, the country saw the highest tourism development in the world (48.6 per cent), surpassing the worldwide average growth rate of 3.9 per cent and the African normal of 5.6 per cent. During the period, the sector supported 2.2 million employments and contributed US$7.4 billion to Ethiopia's economy, an expansion of US$2.2bn on 2017.
The timeless charm of Ethiopia’s natural, cultural and historical tourist attractions has been driving an influx of tourists from far and wide. As the land where mankind, coffee and the Blue Nile trace their roots, Ethiopia has always been a fascinating destination for holidaymakers.
The country’s UNESCO-registered heritages including the majestic obelisks of Axum, the rock-hewn churches of Lalibela and the fortified historic town of Harar, among others, have always remained tourist magnets, drawing visitors in droves. And add to this the magnificent scenery and the unique wildlife riches, some of which are found in the country only.
As the Meetings, Incentives, Conferencing and Exhibitions (MICE) the travel industry blooms far and wide, Ethiopia is also uniquely positioned to reap the benefits, owning to its interesting unique place in Africa's diplomatic landscape. Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa has African Union headquarters and the offices of UN-ECA among others. Addis is the toast of Africa, and invites diplomats and executives from across the continent and the rest of the world. With its astounding safety record and forward-looking infrastructure boom, today the city remains among the top capitals in the world, facilitating major regional and global conferences.
As the main hub of the Pan-African carrier, Ethiopian Airlines, Ethiopia likewise enjoys advantageous air connectivity with multiple destinations in Africa and the rest of the world, making travel to the country easier than ever before. The connectivity options the airline offers to travellers has made Ethiopia perpetually accessible to the entire world, and has facilitated the influx of tourists.
The airline’s catalyst role has never been more impactful, especially in promoting tourism, as alluded to by Gloria Guevara, President & CEO of the World Travel & Tourism Council concerning the exceptional growth of Ethiopia’s tourism. “Ethiopia’s Travel & Tourism boom was one of the great success stories of 2018. It has exceeded our sector’s global and regional comparisons to record the highest level of growth of any country in 2018”, Gloria Guevara notes. “This has been driven by the very strong performance of aviation in the country and the development of Addis Ababa as a dynamic and growing regional hub.”
Africa's largest carrier today spreads its wings to 120 destinations all throughout the world, with half the destinations in Africa. Thanks of Addis Ababa's strategic location at the centre of the East-West lane and the ever extending service of Ethiopian Airlines, the city has developed as the significant gateway into Africa surpassing Dubai.
Other than its wide network and multi-award winning signature services, the flag carrier’s cutting – edge innovations are adding a distinct wow factor that is enabling the influx of travellers savour the beauty of the country and designate the east Africa's nation as a home far from home! Ethiopian Mobile App enables global voyagers secure eVisa within 4 hours and elevates travellers to a high level of personalization and end to end travel experience through mobile devices.
Global passengers can apply e-Visa and book their flights, pay online using credit or debit cards, mobile money, e- Wallet and bank transfer. They can also check-in and issue boarding pass as well as self-board. Passport and Ethiopian App suffice all the way to experience seamless travel to and from Ethiopia. The excellence of Ethiopian is also manifest in its hospitality and award winning service. The carrier has been certified by SKYTRAX as Four Star Global Airline.
As Ethiopia keeps leveraging its edge as a destination of choice for holidaymakers, and as Addis Ababa continues to augment its place as the diplomatic capital of Africa and the flourishing hub of Ethiopian Airlines, the sky will be the limit to its tourism growth in the years to come.
Full article on https://www.traveldailynews.com/post/land-of-origins-the-next-big-thing-in-global-tourism
