Known predominantly for the discovery of coffee, Emperor Haile Salasse and long distance runners, Ethiopia, a landlocked country in northern Africa is still surrounded by a degree of mystery.
A small group of travel wholesalers and representatives has just returned from a 12-day famil to The Land of Origins, courtesy of the Ethiopian Tourism Organisation (ETO) and Ethiopian Airlines.
As a country trying to raise its profile in the tourism world, the itinerary was planned to coincide with one of the biggest and most colourful, religious Christian festivals in Africa, Timkat or the Ethiopian Epiphany.
For three days from January 19th each year, the whole country celebrates the baptism of Christ with great pomp and ceremony. Blessed water is sprayed on the masses which, in the capital of Addis Ababa, surpassed half a million. Religious or not, this is an evocative tourist attraction also creating massive crowds in Lalibela and Gondar as the ETO spreads the word to the world.
Investment in the hundreds of millions of dollars, in hotels and other businesses, is being shovelled into the country, particularly by diaspora who live in the USA. Construction and scaffolding is everywhere and the government’s plan is to be in the top five African countries to visit by 2025.
Ethiopian Airlines has expanded rapidly and is predicting that it will be the most competitive and leading aviation group in Africa, also by 2025, providing safe, market driven and customer focused passenger and cargo transport, aviation training, flight catering, MRO and ground services.
The group was privileged to enjoy a comprehensive visit to the Ethiopian Airlines facility including ‘a ride in their simulator’ for take off from Addis Ababa and landing in Frankfurt.
Ethiopian Tourism Organisation also hosted an afternoon presentation of their fast growing tourism plans.