Tourism Destinations Promotion in Oromia National Regional State: The Practices, Challenges and Prospects
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Date
2022-07
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Promotion in the tourism industry is allied to making the potential customers aware of the product and service available in the tourism destinations area and making sure that they satisfied and benefited if they become real customers. This study was envisaged with the objective of tourism destinations promotion in Oromia National Regional State: The practices, challenges and prospects. More specifically, it tried to assess the current status of tourism destinations promotion, identify promotional tools those have been employed by relevant agencies, assessed the factors that hinder tourism promotion activities and find out the prospects there to promote of tourism resources in the region. This is because of Oromia National Regional State stands at the very heart of the country possessing endowed tourism destinations, however, in case of inadequate promotion activities it didn’t benefit from the resource. Thus, to achieve the objectives, this study used descriptive research design and employed qualitative approach. Both primary and secondary sources of information were use. The primary data was gathered from 16 key informants, while secondary data was gathered through document review. Primary data were gathered from Oromia Culture and Tourism Bureau, Oromia Tourism Commission, Oromia Cooperative Promotion Agency and Oromia Market and Trade Bureau employees. Thematic analysis was used to analyze qualitative data. The study found that despite the fact that a promotion activity is initiated in the region tourism destinations; there is a gap to address the area’s potential tourism destinations through professional promotion of resources. The major challenges emerge from changes within the tourism industry as well as from broader social, political, environmental, and economic developments. Changes in the industry’s markets and structures, economic slowdown, war and conflict and natural disasters are the other challenges. Therefore, the researcher recommends that all key actors in tourism industry should work together and the region’s relevant agencies are advised to use the latest technology to promote tourism destinations.
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Practices, Challenges, Prospects, Tourism Destination, Marketing and Promotion