By: Getnet Endeg (getctti21@gmail.com)
(Grant Reporting of International Center for Journalists, ICFJ)
The story explores the tourism potentials (cultural, natural, religious, and traditional) of East Gojjam. It uncovers why tourism in East Gojjam did not flourish in the presence of countless college and university unemployed graduates and remarkable tourist destinations. The Ethiopian government considers tourism as an economic pillar for the country, but still, this area did not generate the expected income from the industry. The story highly touches on the importance of tourism for job creation, cultural exchange, and foreign currency exchange. It finally presents factors (challenges) responsible for the underdevelopment of tourism in East Gojjam.
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East Gojjam is blessed with rich historical, religious, and cultural attractions. Geographic sites like Choke Mountain are also an incentive for tourists, but the zone’s infrastructure must be developed to accommodate travelers.
Partial view of Debre Markos City, the capital of East Gojjam
Debre Markos, East Gojjam’s capital, is the perfect place for tourists to begin their journey of the zone. The city was named after its historic church, St. Markos. It is 300 km from Addis and 265 km from Bahir Dar, the city of the region. Travelers from Addis Ababa to Debre Markos can have two options. It is a 5-6 hour drive by bus enjoying the remarkable landscape of Abay Gorge, or travelers can go from Addis to Bahir Dar by plane and from Bahir Dar to Debre Markos by bus.
Choke Mountain (best place) “water tower of Nile basin”
Map (red box) and pictures of Choke Mountain
Choke Mountain is the highest point in the area and one of the most attractive tourist attractions in East Gojjam. It is believed as the Water Tower of Nile Basin countries with a height of 4100m above sea level. It is also the source of more than 59 rivers and 273 streams flowing into the Blue Nile.
Research pointed out that the nature-based tourism resources of Choke Mountain are preferred as it has a diverse range of geographical features like landforms, water basin, gorges, cliffs, native biological diversity, and other spectacular views. The scenic beauty of landscapes is a big nature-based resource and wildlife resources, and variations of rainfall, wind, temperature, and humidity are the other nature-based tourism resources.
The Mountain has different spectacular geographical settings which are very interesting for eye-catching visitors. After traveling 8 km from Rob Gebeya with a gravel road, there is a dense forest named Aba Jime forest. Asta (Erica arborea) is the dominant plant species. Kosheshila (Acanthus sennii), Nechate (Helichrysum citrispinum), Gibra (Lobelia rhynchopetalum) and Amijja (Hypericum revolutum) plant species are also found.
Partial Views of Choke Mountain and Bird Species
The forest is the habitat for both animal and bird species. Different bird species are found in Choke Mountain and some of them are endemic to Ethiopia such as the Abyssinian Long claw, Wattled Ibis, Thick-billed Raven, White-collared Pigeon, and Black-winged Lovebird
Different animal species like Leopard (Panthera pardus), Golden/Common Jackal (Canis aureus), Common Bush Back (Tragelaphus scriptus), Abyssinia Colobus, Common Duiker, Spotted Hyena (Crocuta crocuta), Anubis Baboon ( Papio Anubis), Bush Pig (Potamochoerus porcus), and Common Duiker (Sylvicapra grimmia)are found in Choke Mountain and its Environs. 
Ancient Churches and Monasteries in East Gojjam
East Gojjam has many churches and monasteries which are pillars of Orthodox Christian church education in Ethiopia and is home to several traditional education establishments, especially Mertu LeMariyam Monastery, Debre Worq Mariyam Monastery, and Dima Giyorgies Monastery.
Mertu Le Mariyam monastery believed to be the second church in Ethiopia next to Axum Tsion, was built in the 4th-5th century during the reign of Abräha Wo-Atsbäha.
In the monastery, there are valuable heritages. Abräha Wo-Atsbäha golden crown, the kings’ vestments, costumes and beds, helmets, other crowns, parchment manuscripts, different crosses made from silver and gold, silver and gold drums, silver rivan, clothes of Ahmed Gragn, Queen Eleni silver cups, Etege Mintiwabe memorial clothes are some of the cultural and historical heritages housed in the church’s treasury.
Debre Worq Mariyam monastery, with a long history, was established in 351 AD, but later on, it was fired out by Yodit Gudit in 857. Different spiritual wall paintings and gifts of kings are remarkable witnesses of its long history. The Monastery has a single-storied treasury house which still gives services.
Dima Giyorgis monastery is one of the ancient and historical monasteries of the country. Based on the history of the monastery written in the book Gedile Flipos and other Brana’ literature, the monastery was established in 1297AD by the religious father called ‘Tekeste Birhan’ or the former name ‘Bäkimos’.
The monastery played a significant role in the expansion of Christianity and, it is the base for the establishment of many other churches and monasteries in the parts of East Gojjam. It is used as the center of modern church education.
The monastery owns enormous invaluable heritages such as Yohanes IV Gold Crown, different Size Gold Crosses, Gold Shoes of King Yishak, Snake shape Gold Stick, King T/Haymanot warrior weapons, different geez inscriptions, and Brana books. The area is accessible for land transport. So, visitors from Addis Ababa or other parts can go there by bus.
The historic churches have been serving as repositories of invaluable religious books and artifacts. These religious institutions follow Nebab Bet (Reading School), Qedasse Bet (Liturgy School), Zema Bet (Music School), Bet (Poetry School) and Metshaf Bet (Literature School) which are only practiced in Ethiopia.
Moreover, the area hosts various cultural and religious festivals and events. At the end of April, there is a holiday usually celebrated at Debre Markos and is named ‘Miazya beDebre Markos’ as Epiphany is celebrated at Gondar. This holiday has both religious and cultural dimensions. The holiday of Saint Markos is celebrated on 30th Miaziya E.C. with invited guests from across the world. This year’s celebration has got a good start.
Aba Feqih Yassin’s annual celebration is celebrated at the height of Kebele called Yemezgne in Debre Elias district. Fiqh is his title and it means the spiritual father of a great scholar in Islam.
In the first half of the 19th century, a large market called Debdabi was established in Kebele, which is called Yemezgne. This market was established by the local Muslim merchants.
The number of Muslim merchants living in Debdabi was increasing and they were strengthening economically and religiously until the end of the 19th century. Aba Feqih Yassin, who contributed a lot to their strengthening, came to Dabdabi. He is said to have performed many miracles in this place. Since his grave is in this place, his memorial day is celebrated on October 16 by the followers of his faith who come from Showa, Welega, and Gojam.
East Gojjam is known for its unique traditional techniques of Tej and Tella (local alcoholic drinking) preparation. Tella is prepared from Gesho, malt, and unleavened bread (Kitta) with the addition of some other ingredients. Most visitors love to drink them during a visit.
The area is noted for the versatility of Folklore tradition and its richness in literature heritages. Dressing codes of the community, songs and dances, ‘fukera ena qererto,’ to appreciate the good (hero) and discourage the evils, hospitable cultures like eating together, working together, wedding and funeral ceremonies etc. attract tourists.
Tourism has become the world’s third-largest export industry. It involves the movement of people from one place to another. The movement of people requires transportation infrastructure.
Accommodation and food and drink must be available. Eating, drinking and comfortable places to stay lead to interaction with people. This may generate job opportunities and economic activities. Interaction with local people is further associated with intermingling of the cultures of different origins.
Tourism has economic impact. Attracting foreign tourists to a host country fetches foreign currency. This is a very good sign of having good international trading capacity. Quickly growing national and international tourism creates significant employment opportunities.
Ethiopians involved in tourism may gain better economic status directly or indirectly through hotels, restaurants, guides, nightclubs, taxis, local crafts, paintings and local cultural products. Tourism also promotes local people by giving opportunities to get the livelihood in informal sectors like street vendors, tea/coffee stalls, magazine corners, shops with packed food items etc.
Employment in Informal sector pumps the money into the local economy. It has rippling effects by investing and generating more income simultaneously for those people.
It also has socio-cultural impact. Tourism provides an opportunity to acquaint people of many cultural groups from national and international origins. Educational tourism promotes understanding between peoples of two or more cultural groups. Because of cultural exchange, people develop mutual sympathy and understanding about each other and thus it reduces their prejudices.
Sympathy and understanding could lead to decreased tension between communities and nations. In this way, peace and good relationship may prevail. Tourism supports the development of community facilities and services. These facilities and services are also used by local people, thus leading to better living conditions.
Tourism creates awareness about the importance and value of natural, cultural, archaeological or historical sites. It stimulates a feeling of pride in local and national heritage. Tourists are interested in buying many arts and crafts of a particular area/ nation as a souvenir to take back with them. Monetary gain to the residents through sale of souvenirs helps keep these arts and crafts alive for ever.
Festivals organised in certain parts of the country every year are very enthusiastically observed by tourists. It encourages people to keep the local culture alive even if the local youth are well educated and have broader look and understanding.
Wudalem Almaw, Head of Culture and Tourism Department of East Gojjam Zone, said the area is blessed with rich tourism potentials and the office is working better to utilize the resource.
The tourism office, as of her, is promoting the tourist destination sites; giving short term trainings for the youth and the community to create employment opportunities and benefit from the tourism economy. A nine month report stated 1936 (69.6%) out of 2783 unemployed people got temporary and permanent job opportunity. But these people got job in hotels, restaurants, and cafeterias.
The Amhara National Regional State culture and tourism bureau planned to create around 53,000 job opportunities in the region in 2022/2023 Fiscal year, but in the 6 months report reviewed, around 23,000 citizens have been created job opportunities which are very small compared to the tourism resources the area has. If this resource is well developed, there is a high chance that many people will benefit from it.
Not working with the international media to promote these tourism destinations negatively affects the development of tourism in East Gojjam. Though the tourism bureau says that they promote tourist destinations, no international media is working with them. Wudalem, Head of Culture and Tourism Department of East Gojjam Zone, said that the office needed to work with the international media to promote the industry but it was not easy for the office to access them and work together. This is because of the limited budget, she added.
According to the sources there are different responsible factors for not developing the tourism sector in East Gojjam Zone. Nigussie Engidaworq, Strategic Advisor in Ministry of Tourism stated lack of experience of a sector working together with another sector is a problem. As of our experience we could not work intensively with universities. Of course tourism needs a teamwork. Failure to allocate adequate budget from the government to the sector is another challenging issue, he added.
The Ethiopian government is now making tourism an economic pillar and establish a structure that the government has worked all the way down to establish the institution well, but we cannot say that we have dreamed of tourism in the desired form said Abay Mengistie ,Head of the Deputy Bureau of Culture and Tourism in Amhara Region.
Tourism, by its very nature, requires peace; without peace, tourism has no life, he added.
Of course it was also affected by the Covid-19 pandemic that killed near to 3 million people worldwide.
Lack of trained manpower in the tourism sector challenges the development of tourism in East Gojjam. As Melkamu, Director of Directorate of Tourism Development in Amhara Regional Culture and Tourism Office, in order for tourism to grow, service providers must have trained human resources who can communicate effectively with guests.
The other challenging issue is the absence of standardized accommodation in the tourist destination. For the development of tourism, the presence of accommodation is important. A tourist that comes to visit should get necessary accommodation like lodges, hotels or resorts that can display the culture of that area, Abay asserted.
Hospitality is another important issue to satisfy tourists. It is known that the people in Gojjam are hospitable. They invite guests
what they have with great respect even by washing the legs of guests free of charge. These potential tourist destinations in East Gojjam lack lodges and resorts despite the city has some.
The federal government is not giving adequate budget for tourism even though it considers tourism as a pillar of economy of the country. Choke Mountain a home for different fauna and flora, Monasteries, Churches which are basis for the modern education, Cultural performing events and annual festivals that can attract tourists are not adequately promoted by the international media. Abay Gorge is the other tourist destination site especially for those who love adventure.
Partial view of Blue Nile (Abay) Gorge
Mengistu Belay ,Coordinator of job creation and strategic development of East Gojam Zone, strengthened the absence of infrastructure is an obstacle for the development of the tourism in East Gojjam.
Some of the tourist destinations have roads but no internet and resorts. With no internet and a comfortable place to stay for tourists, it is unthinkable to develop tourism in the area nowadays.
Lack of foreign currency for investors in the sector is threatening factor. Since building resorts, hotels and lodges or buying cars need huge investment, it needs foreign currency where investors could not access the expected amount. As of Abay, these investors do not adequately access foreign currency.
Tourism needs expertise. Without expertise involvement, developing tourism may not be effective. Those who know how to guide and provide information to tourists know the expectation and preferences of tourists. So, to produce qualified personnel, tourism training institutions are essential. In East Gojjam there are no tourism training institutions. The absence of them might be another responsive factor.
Even those who are assigned by the government are not well qualified and mostly consider the position as a bridge to transfer to the other position, said Abay.
The absence of tour companies in this area is another push factor for the underdevelopment of tourism in East Gojjam, Wudalem added. Moreover, the awareness of the residents of tourism is very limited. In Choke, farmers use the land for cattle grazing because in some cases those residents do not have other alternatives.
During this time the ecosystem is disturbed. Wild animals inside will migrate. There has to be attitudinal change from the community towards the importance of tourism for the development of the area and the country as well, said Mengstu Belay, coordinator of job creation and strategic development of East Gojam Zone.
Increasing the awareness of the entrepreneur and the job seeker about tourism is significant. Tourism is a resource that can be easily developed, so it is a source of wealth while having fun. Therefore, the government body from top to bottom, private investors, the community, job-seeking youth and universities should work together to develop the tourism industry and create job opportunities for the youth and generate income.
Therefore, all these tourist potentials are calling potential investors, tour companies, both local and international media houses, youths, universities, government, and nongovernment organizations to work together to develop the tourism industry found in East Gojjam and create job opportunities so as to improve the life of the community around.
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