Historical Monuments of Addis Ababa and Their Potential Contribution to the Development of Urban Tourism

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Date

2020-06

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Addis Ababa University

Abstract

About seventeen historical monument are erected in Addis Ababa intended to commemorate heroes of the country and to keep collective memories in Ethiopian history. These monuments cultural heritages like Axum obelisk, Gondar castle or the walled City of Harar (the Jegol Ginb). However, historical monument of Addis Ababa are not promoted well and utilized as cultural heritages to foster tourism development. In other words, despite their tourism potential, the monuments were not given due attention as valuable relics contributing to the city’s tourism development except serving as a landmark for roundabouts. This study, therefore, tried to unravel the potential contribution of Addis Ababa’s historical monument to the development of urban tourism. The researcher used both qualitative and quantitative approaches to gather the necessary data. The data gathering tools applied in this study were questionnaires, in depth interview, focus group discussion, observation and document analysis. Totally 102 individuals have participated in the research including international and domestic tourists, government officials, private tour and travel companies, individual tour guides and members of the host community. The findings show that historical monument of Addis Ababa have a potential to attract tourists equally as other cultural heritages of the City. However, they are neglected by government tourism sectors as well as by private tour and travel companies. Both qualitative and quantitative analyses indicated that even if as a passing interest, international tourists do visit on selected historical monument of the city. To the opposite, due to weak promotion and under valuing trend, domestic tourists and host community do not visit historical monument except when there are events attached to the monument. The study found out several challenges facing historical monument: accessibility problem, lack of recreational facilities in the premises and around them, lack of promotion /adequate publicity, lack of descriptive narration and authentic information, negligence by tour agencies, locational disadvantage, lack of maintenance and restoration, lack of awareness among host community, cleanliness and hygiene problem and also controversial historical meaning and value. Government and privet tourism sectors, host community and academician are recommended to take historical monument of Addis Ababa as significant cultural heritage resources, which have wide range socioeconomic contribution to the city.

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