Sustainable Tourism Master Plan

As a result of sweeping economic reforms, the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia has been enjoying unprecedented tourism growth in the recent years. International tourist arrivals have been on a growth trajectory since the 90s rising from 64,000 in 1990 to 681,249 in 2013. This has been matched by growth in the contribution of the travel and tourism sector’s direct contribution to the country’s GDP which in 2013 was 4.2%, translating to ETB 35,766.6m and is expected to grow by 4.8% p.a. reaching ETB 59, 495.2m (3.6% of GDP) by 2024.

Further, the industry is now an important source of employment accounting for 3.8% of total employment in 2013 representing 985,500 jobs directly and this is forecast to grow by 0.1% in 2014 to 986,000 (3.6% of total employment).

Such performance has seen the tourism industry increasingly becoming an important economic sector in the country and has consequently been identified as an avenue through which the plan for accelerated and sustainable development to end poverty can be achieved, as articulated in the country’s Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP), (2010-2015) vision to: Build an economy that has a modern and productive agricultural sector with enhanced technology and an industrial sector that plays a leading role in the economy, sustaining economic development and securing social justice and increasing the per capita income of the citizens so as to reach the level of those in the middle-income countries.”