Challenges and Prospects of Religious Tourism Development in Gishen Debre Kerbe Mariam, North Central Ethiopia
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Date
2013-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The main purpose of this research is to assess the challenges and prospects of religious tourism
development in Gishen Debre Kerbe Mariam. Data were collected through self-administered
questionnaire, direct/participant observation, semi structured interview, informal discussion and
managing second01Y data. Categorical, explanatory and descriptive methods of qualitative data
analysis techniques were employed for data interpretation. Eleven resources were identified as
potential attraction for religious tourism development in Gishen. Except museum which was
under construction, resources such as landscape and scenery, religious festival, church
buildings, history of Gishen Mariam, holy water, cave of king Lalibela, and Natural cave were
being utilized and rated as attractive resources for majority of respondents. Poor pelformance of
marketing, poor inji'astructural development especially road, illegal settlement, Environmental
pollutions and begging, and unsuitable institutional structure were identified as challenges to
religious tourism development in Gishen Mariam. Despite these challenges, an increase trend of
domestic religious tourist arrival by 11.8% for the last four years was registered in Gishen
Mariam. This has contributed to an increase in contribution of job creation and government
revenue. This in turn has resulted in positive attitude of local residents. Moreover, its geographic
location in the northern historical route is an opportunity for boosting religious tourism. Gishen
Debre Kerbe Mariam has huge religious tourism potential and prospects despite challenges.
Illegal settlers need to leave away jrom Gishen in order to make Gishen a monastely.
Furthermore, road construction and tourist facility developments need to be implemented in
cooperation with volunteers and church.
Key Words: Development, Gishen, Religious, Tourism,
Description
Keywords
Development, Gishen, Religious, Tourism