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Under the impetus of Ethiopia's air transport expansion efforts and public policy reforms, Addis Ababa is now the main transit hub for long-haul passengers to sub-Saharan Africa. .
The Addis Ababa airport has increased the number of international connecting passengers in the region for the fifth year in a row and this year has become the first hub of long-haul transfers in sub-Saharan Africa, said ForwardKeys, a Spanish travel consulting firm. Wednesday.
The company analyzed data from travel booking systems, which record an average of 17 million flight bookings per day, to determine the number of long-haul transfers to the region via Addis Ababa. It revealed that this number had increased by 85% between 2013 and 2017.
So far this year, the traffic of Addis Ababa has increased by 18%.
Ethopia has now overtaken Dubai, the world's busiest airport in international traffic and the third largest in passenger traffic, as the main gateway to sub-Saharan Africa. Dubai remains the main passenger hub between East and West and hosts the Emirates Airline Group. Those traveling to Africa from Asia or Europe most often connect to Dubai.
Ethiopian Airlines, Africa's largest aerospace group, has just completed its 15-year strategy to increase its market share on routes to and from Africa – a plan that is starting to bear fruit.
The airline also introduces new African routes to develop rapidly and target lucrative Asian markets, according to Reuters.
ForwardKeys also attributed the steady increase in bookings via Addis Ababa, in part to a positive international response to the extensive reforms introduced by Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who came to power in April and who has transformed politics in that country. of about 105 million people. people.
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She cited two reforms: allowing visitors to apply for online visas; and the commitment of Ahmed to open the opening of the economy largely controlled by the Ethiopian state to foreign investment.
After Ahmed concluded peace with Eritrea to end a two-decade-long war, the Ethiopian resumed his flights to his neighbor in July. This month, Reuters relaunched flights to the Somali capital after four decades.
The increase in travel to and from Addis Ababa shows no sign of abandonment. International bookings through Ethiopia increased 40 percent year-on-year from November to January 2019, ahead of all other African destinations, ForwardKeys said.
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