Page 24 - Abyssinia Busniess Network November 2019

ETOA:

Gaining

Momentum

Yakob Melaku
President of Ethiopian Tour
Operators Association
/ETOA/
Established in 2003, the Ethiopian Tour Operators Association industry. The Association communicates
(ETOA) is a non-for profit organization representing Tour with a lot of stakeholders in its efforts to
Operators based in Ethiopia. It envisages the nation’stour and travel get solutions to pressing problems of the
sector become a major economic sector that plays its important role industry. In addition, It offers opportunities
in economic and social development of the country and Eastern to promote tourism resources of Ethiopia
African Nations through cooperation and sustainable tourism and that of East Africa. It also serves as
practices.Yakob Melaku ETOA Head reacts with ABN questions. an effective platform to support and advise
policy makers.
What are the objectives of the to include these practices in
Ethiopian Tour Operators policies and legal frameworks “We have established links with tourism
Association /ETOA/? of our country. Boards of Kenya, Tanzania, and Dubai.
• To create tourism awareness, We organized B2B events in Addis Ababa
ETAO is established with the among decision makers tourist during the last 2 years. In addition, our
following main objectives: destination communities and Association was invited to attend B2B
• To protect legitimate interests the general public. events in Zanzibar.”
and benefits of its members • To conduct research and
• To contribute towards development activities in the How do you describe your relationship
improving tourism services travel and tourism sector. with concerned bodies like local cultural
and products to international • To continuously build the and tourism offices and the like?
standards capabilities of members.
• To help build good Our relationship with Federal Tourism
relationships among stakeholders What is the most rewarding authorities can be described as good partners
deployed in the tourism sector part of being a Tour and who are striving to change the situation of
• To promote tourism Travel Association? the travel and tourism sector. We also work
destinations and resources to the closely with Culture and Tourism Bureaus
global market and by so doing to The most rewarding part of being of the Regional States and other tourism
build the national image of our a Tour Operators Association related institutions.
country is the Association serves as an
• To build relationships information and communication
with domestic and international hub among governmental and What are the main challenges tour and
associations and tourism-related non-government institutions travel agents face at the moment?
institutions. at regional, national and
• To learn from best practices international levels in order to Currently the Travel and tourism sector of
around the world and strive promote and develop the tourism Ethiopia is faced with numerous challenges.

22 Abyssinia Business Nework ህዳር 2012 / November 2019