Ethiopia Has Been Elected Best Destination by The European Council on Tourism and Trade

Ethiopia, the most populous African country after Nigeria, has become the best destination in the world for tourists. This distinction was assigned by the European Council on Tourism and Trade (ECTT), a group of non-profit organizations of the European Union whose role is to promote tourism and investment opportunities outside the European Union. The country of Ethiopia has been selected among 31 other countries for its rich cultural heritage, which is considered to be very well preserved.

With 681,000 visitors in 2013, against 468,000 in 2010 according to the World Bank, tourism has experienced significant growth in recent years in Ethiopia. Nevertheless, the country is still far from being the first tourist destination in Africa, compared to the 14 million visitors in South Africa or the 10 millions tourists who visited Morocco in 2013.

The European Council on Tourism and Trade wanted to shine the spotlight on the wealth and the excellent preservation of historical monuments of the country. The huge country of East Africa has many interesting sites: between others the Lower Valley of the Alouache, where the Lucy fossil remains was discovered, and the ruins of the city of Axum, which represents the heart of ancient Ethiopia. Another attraction, that allowed the country to be the first preferred destination of Europeans, is the city of Harar Jugol with its 82 mosques, 11 medieval stone churches dating from the 13th century and its 102 shrines.

For the Ethiopian government, after agriculture and industry, tourism is the third main part of the engine of the economic growth of the country. For 2015-2016, this growth is estimated between 8.6% and 10.5%. For Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, "tourism has a social purpose, and it is also a great way to share revenues and support the development of marginal and rural communities."