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USAID launches
Ecotourism Dev't Program in Ethiopia
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 ADDIS
ABABA(July 17,2008) - United States Agency for International
Development (USAID) on Wednesday launched its new multi-million dollar
ecotourism program, with the view to contribute to the development
of Ethiopia's unique and potentially very "lucrative" ecotourism
sector.
The five-year program will protect natural resources and cultural
heritage sites, as well as improve the livelihoods and quality of
life of local communities, said the agency adding up to 14 million
dollar will be available for it.
US Ambassador Donald Yamamoto made the announcements on Wednesday
at the USAID Ethiopia Tourism Competitiveness Workshop, also attended
by Minister of Culture and Tourism Mohamed Dirir and USAID Acting
Mission Director Nancy Estes.
Despite numerous amount of natural resources and "cultural resources
the country is endowed with, Ethiopia is rated among the lowest in
sub-Saharan country, ranking 126 in the world, based on Travel &
Tourism Competitiveness Index 2008.
Donald Yamamoto said Ethiopia needed to respond to ecotourism which
he described as high income generating industry
"The time is now to prioritize Ethiopia's travel and tourism
industry, to improve tourism and ICT infrastructure, and to protect
the nation's natural resources," the Ambassador said officially
launching the program, a part of the USAID Global Sustainable Tourism
Yamamoto said Ethiopia's advantage of its vast tourism potential compared
to other African countries, is by far better.
"You have base to start," the ambassador said. "The
country needs to promote its natural as well as cultural heritage
to the world in order to enjoy the benefits of the sector," he
recommended.
Admiring the workshop as a good opportunity for learning about Ethiopia's
tourism, USAID Acting Mission Director Nancy Estes on her part said
Ethiopia should take advantage of its vast tourism potential; where
the industry is valued at more than $3 trillion dollars per year
"We all know about Ethiopia's vast natural and cultural wealth,
and we will hear how Ethiopia offers a very competitive price by world
standards," she said.
"That's a good start for, the more competitive a country's travel
and tourism industry is, the greater number of visitors and thus the
greater amount of wealth can be captured," she said.
Nancy Estes said it was high time Ethiopia made sure the country's
cultural resources and areas of natural beauty are protected
"We must include the local communities by benefiting directly
via income generating opportunities, capturing their fair share of
the revenue tourists bring into this country, in an industry which
accounts for seven and a half percent of the world's total employment,"
she said
Nancy said the five-year multi-million program will aim to protect
not only to protect natural resources and cultural heritage sites,
but also plan to improve the livelihoods and quality of life of local
communities.
"This program will increase employment and income generating
opportunities, especially for rural communities," she concluded.
The United Nations World Tourism Organization forecasts that international
travel will double by 2020.
According to USAID, the USAID Global Sustainable Tourism Alliance
hopes to channel a significant amount of this business to developing
countries, like Ethiopia. |
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