What is your opinion of the role played by travel agencies in contributing to economic growth?
Emiru- Sterling Travel Agency was established in 1993 and since becoming fully operational, we have been actively engaged in serving incoming travelers as well as both going abroad. Particularly, our travel agency has been active in facilitating and coordinating trips to China and Indonesia for Ethiopian business persons. These travelers attend regular trade fairs that take place every year in those countries. On average, our agency processes up to 40 Ethiopian business persons on their outbound trips in October and April for the last 11 years without interruption.
So I would say we have contributed our part to promoting trade between China and Indonesia with Ethiopia respectively, as well as to other business destinations in Europe and the United Sates.
Would you elaborate on how your travel agency has facilitated trade between Ethiopia and China?
Emiru- It is very difficult to determine precise figures as to what extent we have managed to attract Chinese investors to the country or persuade Ethiopian business persons to travel to China to explore the various business opportunities. However, our agency can proudly state that we have been active and closely involved whenever there are events that are of importance to Ethiopian business persons who wish to travel and vice versa. For instance, every year, a specialized trade fair namely, the China Commodity Trade Fair takes place in the city of Guangzhou.
In this regard, we promote and notify the local business community about the fair and encourage them to participate. Similarly, we also facilitate and inform Chinese and other international business travelers about available hotels as well as other conditions and interests during their stay in the country.
So, I can say with pride that we have been acting as a sort of bridge between Ethiopia and the Far East.
Has Sterling drawn up any plans for the upcoming new Ethiopian millennium or through your trade association, if indeed there is such a body?
Emiru- I am not informed of any tangible plans through the association as such. However, I am aware of some activities that are underway for the new Ethiopian millennium celebration involving about 60 members of the association. As for Sterling, I am coordinating with the staff to take extra care in handling millennium guests by bearing in mind all the precautions that must be taken so that they don’t have an unpleasant stay. I believe all of us in the sector must work hand in hand so that visitors are not subjected to theft or any other troublesome situations that put visitors at risk. We always have to focus on the long term potential revenue from tourists, if we can maintain the good reputation of our country.
What is your travel agency’s involvement with Bangkok Hospital?
Emiru- Sterling and Abem travel agencies have entered business agreements with Bangkok International Hospital for the provision of information and several other facilities for Ethiopians who wish want to receive treatment at the hospital. Jointly, we arrange transportation facilities, visa arrangements and translation services upon arrival in Bangkok. We also inform patients about all expenses and costs they are subject to as well as offering discounts when they choose us to facilitate their medical travel. These kinds of arrangements are not very popular in the country but I believe they are of paramount importance because many travelers, especially for medical reasons, find it difficult to figure out the costs and how much money they will require.
Do you have good relations with airlines operating in the country?
Emiru-We have had good relations with the national carrier and all other airlines operating in the country. In fact, our relations with Ethiopian Airlines were further enhanced after the national carrier established a department dedicated to the coordination of all travel agencies. There are currently about 60 travel agencies operating in Ethiopia.
What in your opinion are the most common challenges faced by travel agencies?
Emiru– Generally our performance has been improving over the years and relatively speaking, we have had healthy business operations in the country. However, we have at times been subject to problems when certain travel agencies offer bottom floor prices and distort the overall travel market. We urge the government to take appropriate actions on individuals that are operating under the table.
What do you think is the major obstacle in efforts to increase the number of tourists coming into the country?
Emiru– The basic hindrance for increasing the inflow of tourists coming into the country is the lack of infrastructure in major tourist attraction areas. The government must prioritize the attention given to the sector as it is a multi million birr industry, which could tremendously augment the revenue for the country. We have seen growing attention given to the sector but we believe that it is not enough. The budget allocated must increase. Major lessons must be learnt so that we can adopt the experiences of other countries. For example, the neighboring country of Kenya is a good role model for Ethiopia as they have developed tourism very well. We must also draw tourists to our country by strengthening our promotion campaigns.
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