Ethiopia and Uganda have amplified calls to develop and strengthen the collaboration and cooperation between the two countries in the field of hospitality, tourism and travel.
This was on Friday during a tourism workshop themed “Ethiopia: Land of Origins -Your Next Tour Destination” organized by the Ethiopian Embassy in Collaboration with the Association of Uganda Tour Operators (AUTO).
The workshop was held with various events such as a presentation and discussion on tourism destinations and opportunities in the sector, tasting of Ethiopian Cuisines and coffee as well as viewing a photo gallery.
In the opening Remark, Ethiopian Ambassador H.E. Alemtsehay Meseret underscored that the workshop has an objective to create a working relationship between the tour operators and other stakeholders in the tourism sector in both countries through experience sharing, networking, and exploring complementary tourism destinations.
The Ambassador highlighted the tourism potential that exists in Ethiopia and the government’s effort to develop more sites, especially in the Capital city Addis Ababa, where the African Union and UNECA headquartered.
She observes that East Africa has a huge tourism potential that could be complemented and put together in a joint tourism itinerary (packages), the Ethiopian and Ugandan tour operators ought to join hands in order to promote their tourism assets.
On her part, Yewagnesh Biriggwa, a Board member of the Uganda Tourism Board (UTB), noted that the African continent has immense tourism potential that needs to be tapped by promoting inter-Africa Tourism and travels.
She also called on Ugandan tour operators to promote Ethiopian tourist attraction sites before urging and Ethiopian tour operators to reciprocate it by as well promoting Uganda – the Pearl of Africa.
Sisay Getachew, a senior tourism expert from the Ministry of Tourism of Ethiopia, disclosed reasons why Ethiopia is the land of origins and further introduced the mesmerizing Ethiopian tourism destinations that could be packaged by Ugandan tour operators.
He also explained that the land of origins national tourism brand emanated from the spirit of originality through being the origin of mankind, the origin of Coffee and source of the only African Alphabet, and the source of African inspiration for independence, among others.
He also urged tour operators of Uganda and Ethiopia to build a business relationship and promote the region as a single destination and exploit tourism as a tool for regional integration.
In delivering the closing remarks, H.E. Seleshi Girma, a State Minister at the Ministry of Tourism of Ethiopia, revealed the commitments to transform the tourism sector in Ethiopia such as easing the tourist visa process, connecting Ethiopia with Africa and beyond through Ethiopian Airlines efficiently, reopening the closed tourist destinations as well as the newly developed and the upcoming high-class tourist destinations in the country.
Furthermore, the state Minister revealed Ethiopia’s keen interest in creating joint regional tourism packages with countries in East Africa to compete in the global tourism market.