Minimizing threats to biodiversity conservation through
sustainable tourism development...

The ultimate goal of the Ethiopia Sustainable Tourism Alliance is to provide for sustainable tourism revenues that will actively conserve and enhance biodiversity and cultural patrimony. The economic benefits generated from tourism should also contribute to the eradication of poverty by stimulating income generation to be distributed more equitably, especially to the women and youth of the country.  

In designing and implementing tourism development activities, the GSTA will prioritize the areas containing significant biodiversity, cultural value, and also offer opportunities for wealth creation. Among the geographic regions to be considered are:

•    The Dire Dawa/Harar center has good air access from Addis to the popular cultural center of Harar, one of the holiest shrines in Islam. The Shinille zone next to Dire Dawa has the Babile elephant reserve. The area, which needs restorative biodiversity activity, has a basic infrastructure in place to allow for tourism expansion.  

•    Awash/Afar is an area accessible to tourists and home of the Awash National Park and the Yangudi-Rassa National Park.  Nearby, the Awash Game Preserve would benefit from conservation and wealth creation.

•    Rift Valley Lakeland has relatively accessible roads across its historic lakes stretching over picturesque nature preserves, parks and the popular destination of Konso.

Upon program implementation, the GSTA assesses threats to biodiversity conservation in these targeted areas and addresses those that can be mitigated or alleviated through tourism development activities. Further, the GSTA works to strengthen existing protected area management plans through the development of tourism management strategies, in order to minimize impacts to key species and protect biodiversity.

The Ethiopia Sustainable Tourism Alliance Web site is Currently Under Development