A city unlocking its tourism potential
Tourism in Bahir Dar is on the rise. This is, in part, due to the natural beauty of the city and its cultural and historical treasures. As a result, the tourist flow and revenue generated has been increasing. In the past five years alone, the number of tourists has risen more than fourfold – from 37,166 in the 2009/10 fiscal year to 149,266 in the 2014/15 fiscal year. The jump has been good for the city, as it collected ETB332.8 million in tourism revenue in the just-ended fiscal year. Five years ago, the sector generated only ETB55.85million. The growing trend both in the number of tourists and revenue also means that businesses are flocking to Bahir Dar, to seize the city’s burgeoning reputation as a site of national sporting events and international conferences. EBR’s Fasika Tadesse visited Bahir Dar to learn more about the ascent of its tourism industry and about the hurdles the city has to overcome before it realises its full potential.