Eritrea's Coastal Marine and Island Biodiversity Conservation Project

7.4. Coastal Tourism Development Plan, 2000-2020
The Ministry of Tourism is the National Tourism Administration (NTA) of Eritrea. In general the Ministry has the vested responsibility to regulate
tourism and any tourism related activities. As a slowly growing body the Ministry has been engaged in laying down basic tourism facilitating
infrastructures and facilities, and institutionalizing and drafting management regulations and guidelines. As indicated in the Tourism proclamation (162
of 2006) Chapter 3, Article 4, the Ministry is ascribed to; regulate the planning and operations of hotels, restaurants, and tourism enterprises; the
enforcement of requirements for the preparation and submission of environmental impact assessments for new tourism installations and facilities;
initiate new opportunities to strengthen the national tourism, ensure the achievement and maintenance of specified minimum standards; the
enforcement of building, fire prevention, hygiene and sanitation regulations and establish regional tourism offices.
For the 2000-2020 period, the Ministry of Tourism has prepared a plan for the country with special sections for the coastal areas and the islands. This
plan, embedded in the context of national perspectives, reflects the objectives of the National Economic Framework and Program (NEPFP). From the
social, economic or environmental viewpoint, the plan is firmly rooted in national policies and perspectives. At the national level the Ministry of
Tourism has planed different tourism development activities including construction of basic infrastructure and different type and size of hotels and of
recreational centres. Each regional has been considered separately in order to facilitate the implementation of the activities and to incorporate them into
the regional administration and development policies.
Within this plan, for the Northern Red Sea Region, the main sites considered are:
- the war damaged seaport city of Massawa island,
- the numerous coastal beaches, such as Gurgussum Beach Resort located north of Massawa for national tourism, Artau on the northwest coast of Buri
Peninsula and in the long term, other sites such as Marsa Gulbub, Marsa Ibrahim and Ras Kubaa on the northern coast have been proposed.
- the islands of Dahlak Kebir for natural and archaeological tourism in relation with the Necropolis of the early Islamic age and Dissie Island for nature
oriented tourism.
- Facilities are planned in the proximity of archaeological and historical sites such as Adulis or the Necropolis of Dahlak El Kebir
- Also, the proposed protected areas of the Buri Peninsula area and of the Danakil depression will be considered for some infrastructure
- Inland, the Akwar and Mai-Wooi hot springs are of interest for developing spa health resorts.
From Asmara and its international airport, the only access to the region is via the high scenic escarpment road. The new airport of Massawa can also
provide direct international access. In the future the Massawa harbour can receive more yacht and cruise ship. The coastal road will play a major role
linking Massawa and Assab and providing access to different tourist sites
State of the Coast Eritrea, 2006-2007 50