Addis Ababa, 30 September 2014 (WIC) – Solomon Debebe Kebere, Ethiopian Airlines’ Country General Manager in Korea, has told the Korea Times that Ethiopian Airlines was keen to act as a bridge between Korea and Africa.
He told the newspaper that the airline was committed to elevate business-to-business and people-to-people relations between Korea and Africa to new levels, adding “We will also boost business cooperation with travel agencies here… so Ethiopia can emerge as an alternative destination for those seeking to travel to places that offer unique experiences.”
He said that the growing business-to-business relations between Korea and the African continent were increasing travel demands and the number of Korean visitors to Africa.
He emphasized that Ethiopian Airlines was determined to showcase what Ethiopia was all about to Koreans.
Displaying positive images of Africa in Korea was a priority area, he said. He noted that Ethiopia was an emerging leisure destination.
It has friendly people as well as a safe and secure political and economic environment.
The country is “a vibrant democracy and an energetic free market economy; it had centuries-old churches and many other historical relics.”
Ethiopian Airlines, he said, would open the door for Korean leisure travelers to visit Ethiopia and Africa.
Solomon said there was now a growing travel demand between Africa and China for business and leisure, and he expressed his hope that the same thing would happen in Korea.
He pointed out that Ethiopian Airlines now connected 49 cities in Africa through Addis Ababa International Airport, flying to dozens of destinations across five continents with the continent’s youngest and most modern fleet.
According to MoFA, Ethiopian Airlines launched its Incheon-Hong Kong-Addis Ababa route in June last year and operates Boeing 787 Dreamliners, capable of carrying up to 270 passengers on the route.
