Nation expects to earn 200mln USD from tourism this year

Ethiopia hopes to boost tourism earnings by 15 percent this year.

"Tourist flow into (the country) has shown a marked improvement over the last five years," said Solomon Ali, Head of Public Relations at the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

"That is due to publicity campaigns aimed at changing the country's image from the stereotypical picture of famine and war to a nation of ancient history and culture."

Solomon said Ethiopia hopes to attract 400,000 tourists this year, up from 340,000 in 2007 when it earned 170 million USD. The country intends to earn 200 million USD by the end of this year.

Ethiopia hopes to trade on its reputation as the cradle of humankind, and the government has invested heavily in hotels, airports and other infrastructure to lure visitors.

Much of the focus has been on historic sites in the north, which include the obelisks at Axum -- reputed to be the home of the Biblical Queen of Sheba -- the stunning rock-hewn churches of Lalibella and several ancient castles.

Many tourists also visit Afar in the far northeast of the country to see the site where "Lucy", the fossilized bones of a 3.2 million-year-old hominid, was discovered.

Solomon said Lucy's remains were currently on a six-year tour of museums in the United States, and officials hope this would create more interest in Ethiopia.