Addis Ababa, 18 May 2015 (WIC) – Ministry of Culture and Tourism said that Ethiopia has targeted to earn six billion USD revenue from the tourism sector in its second Growth and Transformation Plan.
Public and International Relations director with the Ministry, Gezahegn Abate told WIC that the ministry plans to earn six billion USD revenue per year from the expected six million foreign visitors to the nation in the GTP II period.
The contribution of the tourism sector to the country’s GTP so far is about 1.2 percent, Gezahegn said, adding that it is now planned to raise its contribution to 5 percent.
According to Gezahegn the influx of foreign visitors to Ethiopia has shown an average growth of 10 percent in the past seven years, the average tourist staying period rose up to 16 days.
According to Gezahegn, the tourism sector has created 783,638 jobs for citizens in the last four years of the first GTP.
Standardization of 400 star ranked Hotels has begun in the nation to increase the service quality delivered for the foreign visitors, said Gezahegn, adding that International accredited standardization activities so far conducted on 50 hotels in Addis Ababa city.
After the down fall of the Dreg regime in 1991, Ethiopia has been attracting a huge number of foreign tourists visiting a variety of magnificent natural, cultural, historical and religious heritages found in the country.