Walia Special Edition on the Bale Mountains (2011) - Zoologische ...

example, increasing funding for protected area management (Boo 1992). Gorilla tourism was so
profitable in Rwanda the income generated helped fund conservation activities for a number of
protected areas in the country (Lindberg 1998). Increasing livelihood and business opportunities
of local communities inhabiting tourism destination areas can be an incentive for them to protect
their environmental resources and, coupled with environmental education, can advocate changes in
conservation attitudes and behaviours (Sharpley 2006). However, despite these and other benefits,
eco-tourism can also have negative impacts on the ecosystem including environmental degradation
and pollution and/or changes in social, cultural and custom habits of the community (Musa 2006).
Tourism in Ethiopia
Currently Ethiopia is known for its tourist value from a cultural and historical perspective, with
most tourists visiting the ancient churches and cultural sites in the north of the country. However,
the tourism sector is still largely underdeveloped and underexploited compared to its African
counterparts. In fact Ethiopia still remains among the lowest tourism beneficiaries in Africa,
receiving only 0.58% of the continent’s tourist arrivals in 2003 (Ethiopian Ministry of Culture
and Tourism 2006). Despite this, Ethiopia has seen an increasing influx of tourists over the years
with the country’s tourism receipts reaching ETB 1.2 billion and contributing to 17% of its export
revenues in 2005. This represents 108% growth from 2000 and 18% growth from 2004 (Ethiopian
Ministry of Culture and Tourism 2006, OARDB 2007), making it the third biggest foreign currency
earning industry in Ethiopia. According to the Ethiopian Ministry of Culture and Tourism (2006),
this increase in tourism in the country is as a result of peace and stability and the various attempts the
country has made to change its negative image. In the Ethiopian Governments Plan for Accelerated
and Sustained Development to End Poverty (PASDEP), tourism development has been prioritised.
Further, the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP 2004) indicates that Ethiopia
has a large potential for tourism revenue generation from most protected areas (Ethiopian Tourism
Commission 2002; Muramira and Wood 2003). In fact the federal Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation
Authority (EWCA) has recently been moved and is now housed under the Ministry of Culture and
Tourism (MoCT) demonstrating Ethiopia’s new recognition of the role protected areas can play in
developing eco-tourism.
Ethiopia is a country with huge scope to develop its eco-tourism industry. The country
houses nine national parks, 12 wildlife reserves and two wildlife sanctuaries. These protected areas
encompass the largest expanse of Afroalpine on the continent as well as remnant areas of rare montane
forest, while also providing spectacular scenic values in the highlands and harbouring many unique
and endemic species. The Simien Mountains National Park (SMNP) is the only UNESCO natural
World Heritage Site in Ethiopia and the Bale Mountains National Park (BMNP) has recently been
included on the WHS tentative list. SMNP has approximately 7,000 international tourists a year
and generates ETB 1.5 million per annum (SMNP GMP 2010), in contrast to other protected areas
in the country, including the Bale Mountains National Park, where eco-tourism remains largely
underdeveloped.
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