THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAP GUIDE OF ETHIOPIA IS PUBLISHED

“Ethiopia should be wrapped in a format and travel around the world,” Dutch Ambassador Hans Blankenberg is very proud of the new Map Guide of Ethiopia’s Central and Southern Rift Valley. It is a product of the nine month collaboration between HoA-REC, ESTA (Ethiopian Sustainable Tourism Alliance) and National Geographic Society. The project was funded by the Dutch Ministry of Economics, Agriculture, and Innovation, as well as USAID. It is a big step in providing tourists with updated mapping and ideas for weekend outings and activities in the Central and Southern Rift Valley, only 170 kilometres outside of Addis.

On Thursday, December 15th the Map Guide was officially launched at the Hilton hotel in the presence of Ato Yonas Desta, the General Director of the Ethiopian Authority for Research and Conservation of Cultural Heritage (part of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism). He was very impressed by the Map Guide and the community improvement that comes along with the development of the newly established eco-tourism projects. “Here and now, I will make a promise to develop this at the national level,” he said. Local communities in the Central and Southern Rift Valley are being trained to receive guests, to offer horse riding tours, to make handicrafts and to guide tourists. With this opportunity of alternative, and improved, livelihoods the people will be less vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and poverty.

For National Geographic, this Map Guide is a new one in a row of significant destinations in the world that travellers really need to know about. Jim Dion of the National Geographic Society: “By providing knowledge, people get inspired to care about Ethiopia.” He explained that the Map Guide takes the reader to the area, before they even set foot on Rift Valley grounds. Bird watchers, nature-lovers, eco-tourists and those interested in the Ethiopian culture and history are welcomed to have a fulfilling trip in a very special part of Ethiopia. This is especially important for Ethiopia which, despite a plethora of historic and natural treasures, is oftentimes depicted negatively in the media.

The Map Guide will be distributed through the shops of Bookworld and Shamabooks in the near future. The Ministry of Culture and Tourism will present it to foreign tour operators and distribute them at international trade fairs.