Addis Ababa, April 13, 2025 (FMC) – Ethiopia hosted more than 60 major continental and international conferences during the past nine months of the 2024/25 Ethiopian fiscal year, according to Minister of Tourism, Ms. Selamawit Kassa.
She made the remarks during a briefing on the performance of the tourism sector over the first 100 days of the third quarter, as well as the overall macroeconomic developments of the nine-month period.
“We have held more than 60 major conferences during this period, a significant increase compared to the same period last year,” she said.
Ms. Selamawit noted that the tourism sector has experienced unprecedented growth, with significant strides made in both conference tourism and destination development.
She attributed this momentum to the government’s strategic focus on infrastructure development, enhanced diplomatic engagement, and coordinated institutional support to expand conference tourism.
Tourism, she said, has received exceptional attention from the government and key institutions, as seen in the surge of international, continental, and regional events hosted by the country.
“This growth reflects not just event hosting capacity, but also our success in promoting Ethiopia’s image to visitors from around the world,” the Minister added.
Beyond conference tourism, major developments have taken place in the restoration and expansion of tourism sites, including the Jimma Aba Jifar Palace, Fasil Palace (Fasil Ghebbi), and others.
New destination development initiatives—particularly the ‘Dine for the Nation’ and ‘Dine for the Generation’ projects championed by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed—have further reinforced the country’s tourism offerings.
International promotion efforts are also gaining momentum. Ethiopia recently reached an agreement in Prague to promote its image as the “Land of Origins” and actively participated in Berlin’s international tourism event, strengthening B2B ties with European partners.
The Minister also revealed that a policy review is underway to reshape the country’s approach to tourism, with the aim of aligning infrastructure, marketing, and investment strategies with global standards.
Highlighting Ethiopia’s global connectivity through Ethiopian Airlines, she emphasized that the national carrier remains a crucial asset in advancing the country’s tourism potential.
Looking ahead, the focus will be on strengthening the infrastructure and promotional efforts already underway to achieve the desired outcomes.
Ethiopian Airlines—renowned for its extensive connectivity across Africa and to major destinations worldwide—continues to serve as the backbone of the continent’s aviation industry. This advantage should be leveraged to further boost the tourism sector, and collaboration with key stakeholders will be essential, Ms. Selamawit noted.