Over half-a-million foreign tourists visit Ethiopia

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (ENA) – The Ministry of Culture and Tourism said more than half a million foreign tourists visited Ethiopia in the just ended Ethiopian budget year.

Public and International Relation Director Awoke Tenaw told ENA that Some 773 million US dollars has been secured from the service delivered to the tourists.

The said number of foreign tourists has surpassed last year’s record by 14 percent.

The participation at international tourism and trade fair enable the country to promote the cultural, natural and historical attractions to the rest of the world, he said.

The regional states had the chance to promote their tourist attraction in the trade fair held in Germany, he said and added, brochures were distributed in various international languages at the fair.

He said the ministry has prepared the first tourism directory in the reported period.

The director said service providers including 442 hoteliers, 11 restaurant, three cultural food houses and 26 tour operators have been certified in the reported period.

The national culture and industry week was organized for nations, nationalities and peoples of the country to exchange their cultures and created market link.

He said maintaining tourist infrastructures in various national parks and destinations have been carried out in the reported period.

As to the effort to benefit the public from the tourism development, the director said some 243,664 people have got job opportunities.