Cognizant of the untapped richness the country embraces, highly regarded & globally branded hotels are eying to Ethiopia.

Ethiopia is increasingly hosting branded hotels, with Ramada Addis Hotel, Radisson Blu, Sheraton Addis, Marriott Executive Apartments, Golden Tulip, Hilton and Best Western International on its crown list. The number is expected to rich to its pick with a joining of AU Grand Hotel, InterContinental Hotels Group, Hilton Worldwide, Pullmann, Wyndham Hotel Group and Crown Plaza. These Hotels offer sophisticated rooms and suits with luxurious facilities as well as refreshing terrace signature bars.

Global gastronomic delights mixed with internationally acclaimed domestic culinary tastes like shiro and Injera give the Hotels a distinctive and iconic savor to take pleasure in.

Most of these luxurious full of iconic structure hotels have the best views of the town. Hotel investment firms, hotel operators and hotel users are benefiting from the growing focus to tourism by the government to attract both leisure and business travelers.

Ethiopia affirmed that foreign tourists can travel to any part of the country as they had been doing in the past. Attorney General Getachew Ambaye noted on Monday (October 24) that tourists are not expected to notify to anyone to travel and visit attractions sites in Ethiopia.

The recently proclaimed state of emergency, as pinpointed under its directives, limited foreign diplomats from traveling beyond a-40 kilometers radius out of Addis Ababa without permission.

The Attorney General added, “The directive is not applicable to foreign tourists who come to Ethiopia to visit tourist destinations. They can travel from place to place freely as usual.”

Public Relations Director at the Ethiopian Tourism Organization (ETO), Getnet Yigzaw, also said tourists can travel to any part of the country in group or individually.

He underscored that the state of emergency has meticulously devised favorable mechanisms so that visitors could visit the historical and natural attraction sites of Ethiopia with no fear and trepidation.

Source: MFA Ethiopia

A 20-member Ethiopian women business delegation led by First Lady Roman Tesfaye visited Sweden and Finland from 17-21, October 2016.

The delegation promoted Ethiopia’s export products (textile, leather and leather products, coffee and honey) and investment opportunities to the Nordic countries at a business forum organized under the title: “Doing Business with Ethiopia!”

First Lady Roman Tesfaye underscored the need for Ethiopian business communities to work in concert with their Swedish and Finnish counterparts in a bid to explore market opportunities through building and encouraging women entrepreneurs.

Woinshet Tadesse, Ambassador of Ethiopia to Sweden and other Nordic countries also briefed participants on a number of major themes, including Ethiopia’s double-digit economic growth over the last 10 years and the country’s second GTP as well as investment potentials.

Members of the delegation exhibited and promoted their products to Swedish and Finnish buyers as well as met with investors who are keen to import Ethiopian products to the Nordics.

During the event, YA Coffee, an Ethiopian coffee roasting company, signed a trade agreement with the Swedish FineBonan company.

Source: FBC

For those who have booked a holiday in Ethiopia, or who are planning to visit and who may be aware that Ethiopia has recently declared a state of emergency, you may wish to be informed of the current situation.

The temporary state of emergency is to maintain sustainable peace and stability in the country and is a precautionary measure. Visitor safety and wellbeing is of paramount importance in Ethiopia – the Land of Origins. There is a normal police presence, but no military personnel patrol the streets in Addis Ababa or elsewhere.

Ethiopia is visited by over 750,000 people from all over the world every year, and was named as the World’s Best Tourism Destination 2015 by the European Council on Tourism and Trade. Those travelling to the Land of Origins this season are assured of a trip as enjoyable as ever. It is as safe now for tourists and business visitors to travel in Ethiopia as it has been for the last twenty-two years since the new constitution have been introduced.

Travellers to Ethiopia will find that all tourist areas of the country are safe, with no curfews. Caution when travelling at the borders is advised, as it is with travel to the extreme western and eastern regions of the country. This is the normal advice, and is due to the relative instability of portions of neighbouring countries. Ethiopia’s reputation for welcoming, traditional hospitality is as justly deserved as always. Communications are working, with good internet connectivity and flights from 93 international cities providing business as usual.

The Ethiopian Tourism Organization always values its visitors and is there to ensure a pleasant stay for all.

For further information please refer to our Embassy’s websites, Ethiopian Tour Operator’s Association (www.ethiopiantourassociation.com), Ethiopian Airlines (www.ethiopianairlines.com),

Ethiopian Tourism Organization, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Get more on http://www.ethiopia.travel/news-updates to watch personal testimonies and several videos and pictures of tourists visiting Ethiopia as we speak.

Read the full travel update by clicking here.

Addis Ababa October 20, 2016 The Office of the Federal Attorney said the state of emergency that Ethiopia has declared a week ago, is helping to restore law and order in the country.

In a press conference he gave here today, General Attorney Getachew Ambaye said following the establishment of emergency rule in the country, the situation has started to progress.

Getachew said economic activities which were disturbed by the violence including road transportation and business are now backing to normal.

As the state of emergency came following the danger posed on the security and stability of the state, it enables the state to bring the situation to normal, he added.

The destructive activities carried out by anti-force elements in various parts of the country were targeting economic pillars as well as instigating hatred among different ethnic groups and followers of different religions, he said.

The forces were trying to stop long-distance transportation to various parts of the country, which hindered movement of goods and people, he said.

Those activities had made the situation difficult to transport construction materials to the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam for a while as well hindered import-export trade through Metema, he said.

But, the state of emergency has changed the situation, Getachew said.

“They have tried to close the road to the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) and stop vehicles loaded with construction material. There was also an attempt to prevent transportation of fuel from Sudan through the northern part of the country”, he said.

“Now things are getting better. Activities including transportation, trade, and education continue without any problem”, he said.

Source: ENA

On 20 October 2016, Foreign Minister Dr. Tedros Adhanom received the outgoing Ambassador of Ireland, Ambassador Mr. Aidan O’Hara, and noted that the visit made by President Michael D. Higgins of Ireland in 2014 was a milestone of significance opening new prospects for the strengthening of the bilateral relations of the two countries.

The Foreign Minister and Ambassador Aidan O’Hara also discussed ways to tap the potential of cooperation in the fields of trade, investment and tourism.

Source: MFA Ethiopia

Some 54 percent of the construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) is completed, Economic Affairs Cluster Coordinator with the Rank of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Communications and Information Technology disclosed.

While touring the dam, Economic Affairs Cluster Coordinator with the Rank of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Dr. Debretsion Gebremichael, told Ethiopian News Agency that (GERD) that the construction of the dam has been executed carefully, responsibly and without interruption.

The government has given top priority to the project, which would be an engine to the industrialization of the country, he added.

A collaborative project of the public and the government, the dam is of immense use to the growth of the economy, Dr. Debretsion stressed.

General Manager of the project, Engineer Simegnew Bekele said on his part the construction of dam is progressing as per the schedule.

The project general manager noted that the construction is also contributing to transfer of knowledge and would enable Ethiopian employees to acquire the desired skill in the process.

Upon completion, the GERD will generate 6,000 megawatts.

Source: ENA