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Sources indicate that tourism, unlike other sectors, asks everyone, regardless of their status in every aspect of life, to be their ambbadador for getting the desired result. Clearly, the media is one of the most influential tools in this regard. And this is not lost for the government that oversees the sector.
The Ministry of Culture and Tourism, in collaboration with other stakeholders, has been organizing trips for media professionals in various parts of the country for 6 years. This year, the ministry held its 6th Media Forum in June 2018 in Adigrat, Tigray, where the media community visited various tourist attraction sites and a community lodge
Anaf Community Lodge at Woreda Ganta Afeshum, was one of the sites visited by the media company. It is an example of a small, community-driven, successful business that not only economically binds and benefits diverse members of the community, but also plays its own constructive role in promoting the region's tourism sector.
Abraha Tsegay is the manager and shareholder of the Lodge community. He told The Ethiopian Herald that the community lodge was established in 2009 with 90 members. The number of members has now reached 180, after the interest of becoming a member has grown rapidly by learning the economic importance of the lodge.
He said, up to now, members of the community lodge have taken their dividend payout in three rounds. In the first round, the shareholders got 240 thousand Birr, then 50 thousand in the second round and more than 80 thousand Birr last year.
According to Abraham, Anaf community lodge has created jobs for 12 people – 4 cooks, 4 guides, a manager, a caretaker and a cashier among others. "Tourists are very happy to spend their time here to see the wonderful nature and the remarkable landscapes of our landscapes. The flow of tourists is increasing," he said. He said that 99% of the visitors who come to them are foreigners.
Having told this reporter that she is one of the Anaf community shareholders, Tsigab Kidanemariam, cook, said that when tourists come, she makes 100 Birr. in 24 hours away from his dividend as a member. In addition, she is hopeful that she will be more profitable over time as the flow of tourists increases.
Berhe Kalayou, a president of Mulualem and Birhan guide and travel agency Share Company that this reporter approached told him that the guide is the He says that the number of tourists who visit the wonderful scenery near the pavilion is increasing by from time to time. The sale of nature and the traditional way of life of society are the main tourist attractions of the eastern Tigray, Berhe adds. The spectacular landscapes of Gheralta, the monastery of Debre Damo, the sacred churches dug in the rock, the historical and archaeological sites are the outstanding attractions of the area to name but a few of the others.
Hagos Gebremariam, Senior Lecturer at the Adigrat University Department of Sociology presented a paper on "The Endowments of the Eastern Tigray Area in Tourism". As for him, more than 85 of the churches carved in the rock in the Tigray are in this zone. In addition, Derih Ahmedin Nejashi (the tomb of Ahmedin Nejashi), known as the second Mecca is located in this area. This sacred place, according to the instructor, is the place where the first followers of the Islamic religion began to worship in Ethiopia in 615 E.C. for the first time. "It is a living testimony to the tolerance and mutual respect of the different religions in Ethiopia since those times," says Hagos.
As for the instructor, the eastern Tigray area is endowed with various eye-catching spectacular mountains such as Gheralta, Seheta, Adigrat, Asimba, Atsbi, the Saesi Mountains & Tsaeda, among others, ranging from 1800 at 3500 meters above sea level.
Meanwhile, Berhe says lodges in the area are not yet promoted level. "The saddest point in this regard is that foreign promoters such as the lonely planet are promoting these lodges while nothing is being done by the national media and other Ethiopian travel and tourism companies, he said. much remains to be done in this regard. "
In addition, he baderts that the political situation of the past few years has affected the influx of tourists
. According to him, the other challenge facing everyone in the sector is that tourism is seasonal. "For example, we can make a lot of money from October to March, but after it ends up at the end of September.
But, the very promising side here is that the area is very opportunistic that we can operate secondary business with "To be specific, my co-worker, for example, bought a vehicle and four others opened their own cafeteria with the money they earned and that They have spared, "he noted before adding," he's badured. "Berhe expressed that the travel agency company he chairs at 6 members, and each member receives on average 60 thousand Birr a year.
Currently, there are 6 active community lodges in the East Tigray Shimbreyti area, Chehat, Erar, Gahgot, Seheta and Anaf community dwellings. ci, a tourist spends an average of 3.24 nights in these community lodges, and should pay more than 1650 Birr per night, including all the accommodations offered by the community lodge. While 80% of this amount goes to guides and the community, the remaining 20% goes to the travel and tourism agency for its role in booking and promoting community lodges. So far, 240 foreigners have visited the community tourism pavilion during this fiscal year
"The lack of continuing education, the provision of trekking shoes because we have to travel an average distance of 400 to 800 kilometers by day are critical challenges for us. "
Ato Dawit Hailu, head of culture and tourism of Tigray, told the forum that it is true that Tigray is endowed with A wide range of tourist attractions, much remains to be done to exploit these opportunities. "In this regard, we are working with two strategies – on the one hand, we have created a platform that allows the sector private sector to develop this sector, and on the other hand, we work to maximize the participation and ownership of communities "With regard to the organizers, the very purpose of the creation of cultural media forum and tourist is wisely exploit the role of the media to contribute to the socio-economic development of the country by promoting the culture and tourism of the country. [19659021] var FBIsLoaded = false;
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