Mekelle፡ 11 June 2024 (Tigray Herald)
Aksum Tourism Development Strategy: A Comprehensive Plan for Sustainable Growth Introduction
By Yerga Yaecobe
Aksum, located in Tigray, Horn of Africa, is one of the world’s most ancient and historically significant cities. Known for its rich heritage, Aksum offers a unique blend of millennia-old history, civilization, cultural, and religious significance. This document outlines a comprehensive tourism development strategy for Aksum, aiming to capitalize on its unique attributes while promoting sustainable and responsible tourism.
Vision Statement
Our vision is to establish Aksum as a premier destination for cultural, historical, and religious tourism, fostering sustainable development and improving the quality of life for its residents. We aim to preserve Aksum’s heritage, create job opportunities, and ensure a peaceful and welcoming environment for all visitors.
Strategic Goals
Preserve and Promote Aksum’s Heritage: Protect and enhance the historical, cultural, and religious sites.
Enhance Visitor Experience: Improve infrastructure, services, and amenities for tourists.
Promote Sustainable Tourism: Develop eco-friendly and community-based tourism initiatives. Create Economic Opportunities: Generate jobs and support local businesses through
tourism. Ensure Peace and Safety: Implement measures to maintain a safe and tranquil environment.
Strategic Initiatives
Heritage Preservation and Promotion
Historical and Cultural Site Conservation: Allocate resources for the maintenance and restoration of key sites, such as the Obelisks of Aksum, the Church of St. Mary of Zion, and the ruins of the ancient Aksumite Empire.
Cultural Showcases and Events: Organize annual festivals celebrating Aksum’s heritage, including handcrafts, pottery, painting, and traditional ceremonies. Conduct training. workshops for artisans.
Educational Programs: Develop educational tours and workshops to teach visitors about Aksum’s history and culture.
Enhancing Visitor Experience
Infrastructure Development: Improve roads, signage, and public transportation to and within Aksum. Upgrade accommodations and dining facilities to meet diverse tourist preferences. Tourism Services: Establish visitor centers, provide multilingual tour guides, and create comprehensive informational materials.
Peaceful Environment: Implement strict regulations to control noise and prevent anti-social behavior, ensuring a serene atmosphere for all visitors and residents.
Promoting Sustainable Tourism
Eco-Friendly Practices: Encourage eco-tourism and the use of sustainable resources.
Promote waste reduction and recycling programs.
Community-Based Tourism: Develop village tourism programs that integrate local communities, allowing tourists to experience traditional Aksumite lifestyles and crafts.
Unique Local Products: Promote Aksumite royal goldsmithing, jewelry, handcrafts, pottery, and traditional clothing. Establish artisan training programs to preserve these crafts and create jobs.
Economic Development and Job Creation
Support Local Businesses: Provide grants and loans to small businesses and startups in the
tourism sector.
Training and Education: Offer training programs in hospitality, tour guiding, and artisan crafts to empower women and young people.
Memorial Tourism: Develop a Martyrs Memorial Park to honor those who were massacred during the recent genocidal war, including a dedicated site at the Aksum airport. This will serve as a place of remembrance and attract visitors interested in post-genocide tourism.
Tourism Statistics Database: Identify and analyze potential tourist demographics to understand visitor expectations and enhance hospitality services. Ensuring Peace and Safety
Regulations and Enforcement: Implement and enforce guidelines to control excessive alcohol consumption, drug use, and other disruptive behaviors.
Nighttime Peace: Enforce strict noise control measures to ensure peaceful nights, enhancing the quality of life for residents and the visitor experience. Safety Measures: Improve lighting, security personnel presence, and emergency services in
tourist areas.
Implementation Plan
Formation of a Tourism Development Committee: Establish a dedicated committee involving stakeholders from the local government, tourism industry, and community groups.
Funding and Resources: Secure funding from government budgets, international grants, and private investments. Allocate resources efficiently to priority projects.
Partnerships: Collaborate with national and international tourism organizations, NGOs, and cultural institutions.
Marketing and Promotion: Develop a comprehensive marketing strategy to promote Aksum globally, emphasizing its unique historical, cultural, and religious significance. Monitoring and Evaluation: Implement a system to regularly monitor progress, evaluate outcomes, and adjust strategies as needed.
Conclusion
Aksum has the potential to become a leading destination for cultural and religious tourism. By preserving its rich heritage, enhancing the visitor experience, promoting sustainable practices, creating economic opportunities, and ensuring peace and safety, Aksum can achieve sustainable tourism development. We urge the Aksum Zonal Administration and the Aksum City Mayor, along with the Cultural and Tourism Heritage Bureau, to prioritize these initiatives. Collaborating with Aksum University, Menebere Selama Z Aksum Tigraya Orthodox Church, and the Tigrayan diaspora community, Aksum can be positioned as a center of global tourism. By honoring its past and embracing its future, Aksum can restore its ancient glory and thrive as a unique and vibrant destination.
This strategy document is open for further input and adjustments, inviting stakeholders to contribute to the continuous improvement of Aksum’s tourism industry.
