Company to offer tours to Massawa and the Dahlak Archipelago

Three Ethiopian tour companies, Monpays Tour, Sphere, Ava Tours and the Ethiopian Airlines are participating in the International French Travel Mart (IFTM)-Top Resa, being held in Paris from September 25-28. The companies, through their participation in this key annual gathering for tourism professionals, seek highlighting Ethiopia as a tourism destination, exploring new markets and opening up to new customers.

Hiruy Tadesse Gessesse, a representative of Monpays Tours told Ethiopia Observer that the fair would provide an opportunity to meet old friends and make new ones from the industry. “We are excited to present our service and highlight the nation’s scenery and wildlife, and rich cultural and historic sites at one of the most dynamic tourism shows in the world.”

Monpays Tours, an Addis Ababa-based agency which came into existence in 2006, mainly aims the Francophone market. The agency manages to bring around 1,000 tourists to Ethiopia per year. “We have our own guides who work exclusively for us, but when we have more tourist arrivals during high season, we rent vehicles, employ other drivers and guides,” says Hiruy.

The Agency offers the northern circuit which includes Axum, Lalibela, Gondar and Harar in the east, trekking in the Simien Mountains, Danakil Depression, Erta Ale volcano and visit of indigenous villages in the Omo valley, according to Hiruy. This year, with the ongoing rapprochement between Ethiopia and Eritrea, the company is expanding its vision to add Eritrea to an increasingly rich stew. “We have started offering tours that combine the northern Ethiopia and Eritrea, particularly Massawa and the Dahlak Archipelago.”

Another Ethiopian agency that caters to French-speaking tourists is Sphere, bringing 300 to 400 tourists per year. Selam Ali, whose company is participating at event for the first time, says that the participation at Top Resa would help them to take ideas and expand its operation, and add some more destinations of neighbouring countries. An idea of ​​inter-African partnership would be developed during the international tourism fair to be held in Abidjan, Ivory Coast in April 2019, and Sphere would be participating, Selam said.

France remains one of the target countries of the Ethiopian Tourism Ministry and there are around ten Francophone companies catering for the demand. Ali Sulaiman Mohammed, Ethiopia’s ambassador to France who visited the fair said that the Ethiopia’s tourism potential is certainly huge and the Ethiopian government would help private tour companies on those promotional ventures as part of the government’s intention to make the country one of the best visitor destinations in Africa.

A short documentary about Ethiopia shown at the fair

Main Image: Erta ale Volcano, photo courtesy of Monpays Tour

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