At a time when Dr. Hirut Kassaw – Minister of FDRE Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Sport is recognized as the Most Energetic and Passionate African Tourism Leader in Women in Africa Tourism 2019 Award by Street Gold Foundation based in Accra, Ghana, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia is yet in the top list of 21 Best places to go in 2021.
Kumneger Teketel, Founder & Managing Director, Ozzie Hospitality and Tourism Consultancy, is also awarded as a Role Model for African Young Hospitality and MICE Tourism Leader in the MICE Africa Icon 2019 category.
Read More: Ethiopia Launches MICE Tourism Brand
The Ministry together with Tourism Ethiopia, have made a remarkable job which has never been done before to revitalize the tourism sector and go well beyond it was prior to the emergence of COVID-19 pandemic. This award is a clear manifestation of the unwavering work the country has been doing to make the tourism sector more relevant providing diversified alternatives for post COVID travelers.
According to Conde Nast Traveler, Ethiopia’s profile has risen in recent years. The introduction of an e-visa in late 2017, which made it easier to visit, boosted tourism by 48.6 percent, while Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed caught the world’s attention when he was awarded the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize. But even as visitors flocked to Ethiopia’s nine UNESCO World Heritage Sites, its historic capital city remained a mere stopover. Green spaces in the city were nonexistent and outdoor activities sparse—until now.
Read More: የሀገር ውስጥ ጉዞንና ጉብኝትን ማሳደግ ለኢትዮጵያ ህልውናም ወሳኝ ነው
A multifaceted museum complex, Unity Park, opened in October 2019, stretching across 40 acres of the former 19th-century Imperial Palace grounds. Visitors can now walk alongside vibrant murals framing native plant and sculpture gardens and explore cultural pavilions showcasing Ethiopia’s nine regions. The “Faces in the Shade” exhibit provides a deeper look at the country’s history and details the Red Terror era, during which the communist Derg regime overthrew Ethiopia’s monarchy, with stories of torture from former political prisoners.
And at Entoto Park, a groundbreaking new eco-recreational and wellness space set amid 3,200-acre eucalyptus tree forests, just a 20-minute drive north of the city, activities include hiking, biking, horseback riding, archery, paintball, go kart, and Ethiopia’s first zip line. Spend the night at the new Kuriftu Resorts, located inside the park, where you can glamp under a star-filled sky.
Read More: Border Re-Opened; Welcome to Ethiopia, the Land of Origins
Visiting Addis Ababa also means passing through the world’s first contactless terminal at Bole International Airport, designed with an eye toward biosafety, and exploring Ethiopia’s rich Muslim heritage at Bilal Habashi Community Museum, which opened in May. The city’s momentum is set to continue, with additional parks under way.
For the first time in decades, Addis Ababa is living up to its name: New Flower.
—Lebawit Lily Girma as qoted by Conde Nast Traveler.
Angola, Bermuda, Chiapas, Coastal England, Ghana, Healdsburg, Hokianga, Indianapolis, Italy, Kyoto, Maine, New York City, Nova Scotia, Oslo, The Pantanal, Riviera Nayarit, Southern Vietnam, Tasmania, Tulsa and Winnipeg are the rest best places forming the list.
Follow Afro Travel Blogs for more updates and Book Your Ethiopia Trip with Afro Experience.
