Ethiopian American Travel

06/09/2019

In the North of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, one finds a church that was built in 434 AD. This church was the first of about 120 other churches built in the Tigray...

30/07/2018

A former slave from Ethiopia, Malik Ambar’s life tells the story of slaves who were brought to India only to later take up the reins of power. Malik, born under the name Chapu, in 1548 A.D., was among thousands of men and women who were captured in Africa and sold into slavery in the Middle...

21/06/2018

Ethiopian Airlines, the largest Aviation Group in Africa and SKYTRAX certified Four Star Global Airline, has finalized preparations to launch new flight services (4x per week) to Barcelona, Spain as of July 1, 2018, deploying the ultra-modern B787–800 Dreamliner. Barcelona, the capital and largest...

24/04/2018

Kagnew Station: United States Military Base in Eritrea Credit: https://www.facebook.com/218987881627147/videos/468090430050223/

04/03/2018

Travel video about destination Ethiopia. Ethiopia is a mysterious, mountainous land in the Horn Of Africa and birthplace of Early Christianity. A country of ...

12/02/2018

This time we go in Eastern Africa. We are going to talk about the Nile, the GERD, Ethiopia, Egypt, Soudan etc. To subscribe to the Foreign Chronicles: https:...

09/10/2017

Rick Rigsby delivers a powerful speech on how his father's teachings have guided him through the most troubling times of his life. Are you Inspired? Order Dr...

20/06/2017

TravelPulse on FacebookTravelPulse on TwitterTravelPulse on Google

Last updated: 08:00 PM ET, Sun March 26 2017
Ethiopia Seeks American Visitors
DESTINATION & TOURISM MONICA POLING MARCH 26, 2017

Ethiopia Seeks American Visitors
PHOTO: Simien Mountains National Park, Ethiopia. (Photo via Flickr/Alan)
On the heels of being named one of Lonely Planet’s “Top Ten Countries to Visit” this year, Ethiopia has announced it is establishing a tourism marketing presence in North America.
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“Ethiopia is as exotic as countries come,” enthuses Lonely Planet.
Ethiopia, the only African nation to make Lonely Planet’s top ten list, is now getting serious about attracting North American visitors.
The Ethiopian Tourism Organization, formed in 2014, has recently inked an agreement with New York-based CornerSun, who will represent and promote the destination to travel trade and media throughout the United States and Canada.
For its North American campaign, Ethiopia launching the brand message, “The Land of Origins,” a multi-faceted nod to the country’s diverse history and culture. The oldest polity (state) in Africa, Ethiopia is the home of Lucy, the world’s oldest hominin (humanoid) skeleton. It is also the land from which the Blue Nile emerges and, of course, it is the origin of the world’s coffee.
It seems that tourists around the world are cluing into all that Ethiopia has to offer. In 2015, the country welcomed more than 800,000 visitors, a 12 percent increase over the previous decade. For 2016, those numbers are expected to top 900,000. And tourism officials are now hoping for a million visitors this year.
Helping stimulate the growth are the efforts of Ethiopian Airlines, a government-owned airline founded in 1945. In 2015, Ethiopian Airlines launched its newest service from the Americas, a direct flight between Los Angeles and Bole Airport in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, with a stop in Dublin, Ireland. The airline also flies from Newark, Washington D.C. and Toronto in the Americas.
In Africa, the Ethiopian Airlines connects to 55 cities, including 20 domestic destinations. Earlier this month, the airline made news when it became the first in Africa to start flying the Airbus A350.
Accommodation options are also increasing throughout the nation. Between 2009 and 2012, the hotel inventory in Ethiopia nearly doubled. In addition to plentiful, locally owned properties, Ethiopia also features such international brands as Sheraton, Hilton, Radisson Blu, Marriott and Ramada. To help visitors navigate the hotel landscape, the Ethiopian Ministry of Culture & Tourism is currently developing a formal hotel grading system.
To spread the message of all that visitors can expect while in Ethiopia, the Ethiopian Tourism Organization is in the midst of a three-city roadshow in the Americas. While in Los Angeles, CEO Solomon Tadesse spoke on several key components of the tourism organization’s new marketing campaign, including outlining the country five major tourism routes: The Historic North and the Simien Mountains; The Rift Valley and the Cultural Mosaics of the South; The East—Danakil, Harar and the Bale Mountains; The West—Lush Nature and Coffee Routes; and Addis Ababa and Surroundings.
Mr. Tadesse also addressed issues of safety, displaying a graphic from the Global Terrorism Index that shows terrorism had a low impact on Ethiopia. (Lower in fact, according to the graphic, than the United States.)
Interestingly, Ethiopia is the only country in Africa that has never been colonized. It is home to more than 80 cultures and nationalities and is also the center of the African Union, which also means it has one of the highest number of diplomatic missions in the world.
In attendance at Ethiopia’s Los Angeles trade show were a number of suppliers, eager to speak with travel agents about creating programs for their adventurous clients, including:

30/03/2017

Trade Partner Update
Qatar Airlines








March 30, 2017
Dear Valued Trade Partner,

Qatar Airways has introduced special services for passengers traveling to the U.S. from or through Doha’s Hamad International Airport by offering a laptop loan service in Business Class and by allowing passengers in all classes to use their electronic devices up until final screening at the departure gates of U.S.-bound flights.
It is Qatar Airways’ goal to ensure compliance with the recently-introduced U.S. Government regulations while doing the utmost to minimize the effect on the passenger experience:
• All U.S.-bound passengers including those transferring and those starting their journey in Doha, will be able to use their electronic devices until entering the gate area in Doha.
• Additionally, passengers transiting in Doha and connecting to U.S.-bound flights will be able to use their devices on the first part of their journey.
• U.S.-bound passengers who arrive at the boarding gate with electronic devices larger than 6.3 inches x 3.7 inches x 0.6 inches (16cm x 9.3cm x 1.5cm) will be assisted by Qatar Airways’ ground services staff. They will ensure such devices are carefully bubble wrapped in the presence of the owner, placed in a carton box, further covered with a polythene plastic bag and tagged for ease of tracking. The wrapped devices will then be securely placed in the aircraft’s hold. Customers must ensure all electronic devices are switched off prior to handing them over to the ground staff in Doha.
• Business Class passengers on U.S.-bound flights will be able to use one of Qatar Airways’ loaner PC laptops to ensure productivity in flight. Laptops will be provided to these customers once on board.
• Business Class passengers will enjoy complimentary Wi-Fi* on U.S.-bound flights. Economy Class passengers can make use of one free hour of Wi-Fi* and will then pay a minimal fee of $5 to stay connected for the remaining duration of the flight.
• All passengers can take the opportunity to enjoy Oryx One, Qatar Airways’ in-flight entertainment system offering up to 3,000 entertainment options including the latest blockbuster movies, TV box sets, music, games and more.
The new laptop loan service and electronics handling service are complimentary and aim to ease any disruption to our passengers, ensuring a productive and seamless journey. In addition, extra staff has been deployed at Hamad International Airport to ease and assist passengers with these services.
These above changes are a result of the new U.S. Government-issued regulation which prohibits passengers traveling to the U.S. from (originating in) and through (transferring in) Doha from carrying any electronic devices on board the flight that are larger than a cellular/smart phone. This applies to devices larger than 6.3 inches x 3.7 inches x 0.6 inches (16cm x 9.3cm x 1.5cm) and includes: laptops, tablets, e-readers, cameras, portable DVD players, electronic game units, electronically-powered headsets, and travel printers/scanners. Where possible, passengers are encouraged to pack their electronic devices in their checked luggage. Please note: necessary medical devices, spare lithium batteries and power banks are exempt from these restrictions (spare lithium batteries and power banks are actually not allowed to be packed in checked baggage and thus must be carried on board in carry-on luggage).
For more information and FAQ, please click here. Thank you for your cooperation.
Wishing your clients a safe and pleasant journey,

Qatar Airways USA Team

*Wi-Fi available on select aircraft.

22/03/2017

So THAT’S Why Airplanes Still Have Ashtrays
✈️ + 🚬 = 🚨 🚨 🚨
By Carly Ledbetter

BROOKS KRAFT VIA GETTY IMAGES
Can you spot the ashtray?
Smoking on airplanes was officially banned on U.S. flights in and out of the country in 2000. But curiously enough, despite this smoking ban, new models of planes still come equipped with ashtrays in their bathrooms.

If you’ve ever wondered why that is, CNN’s aviation editor Jon Ostrower recently resurfaced the reason airplanes are required to have ashtrays. Ostrower, who says it’s one of the most-asked questions about airplanes he gets, says it all boils down to the Code of Federal Regulations.

“Regardless of whether smoking is allowed in any other part of the airplane, lavatories must have self-contained, removable ashtrays located conspicuously on or near the entry side of each lavatory door,” the regulation states.

As an FAA spokesperson told The Huffington Post via email, even though smoking isn’t allowed on planes, that doesn’t mean it stops determined smokers.

“Some people continue to try to smoke on airplanes,” the spokesperson said. “The ashtray provides a place to put a cigarette, other than the waste bin, or somewhere less desirable where the ashes might start a fire.”

And if you do get caught smoking on a plane, chances are you’ll get in big trouble once the flight has landed.

“The first thing we have to do is make sure they haven’t created a fire on board the aircraft, because a lot of times they’ll throw the cigarette down into the trash bin,” Tracy Sear, a then-US Airways flight attendant, told the New York Times in 2015. “Then at the same time we’re advising the passenger that they must comply and stop, and letting the cockpit know. Usually, the authorities will meet the flight when it lands.”

A few words of advice: just don’t do it.

17/03/2017

How Rental Car Companies Rip You Off

You booked your flight and reserved your hotel. You looked at the weather forecast and decided to pack an extra sweater. What is next on your pre-travel to-do-list? It had better be the rental car.
If you are not prepared with knowledge about rental car options in a new location, you will be more vulnerable to the nickel-and-diming of hidden fees. The rental car industry has steadily been adding more additional costs. This helps them keep their profit margins in the green, but if you’re not careful, you could get trapped into spending a lot more money than you intended.
“Our number one advice for renters is to do their homework,” David Solomito, vice president of marketing for North America at Kayak told the New York Times. “For most people, rental cars are the least considered part of trip.”
One way to avoid high fees on rental cars is to rent from a location that is not at the airport. Kayak reports that this tactic can save you as much as 11% on rental costs. But the worst of the hidden fees come after you return the car.
The good news is that with a little bit of planning, you can keep those fees low. Here’s how:

Refuel before you return the car
Most rental car companies will ask you to return the car with the same amount of gas as when you left. But the distance between where you top off the tank and the return facility isn’t negligible.
This gray area leaves unsuspecting renters open to exploitation. So you should always inspect your final bill carefully. You might find a “fuel service” charge that shouldn’t be there. In which case, you are well within your rights to call and complain.
Fortunately, companies like Avis and Enterprise are increasingly using “connected” cars, which use technology to automatically report fuel levels. This technology is highly accurate, so discrepancies are likely to go down.
But still, travel experts suggest you know where to find the closest gas station to the rental facility.

Beware of electronic toll booths
In the past, toll booths were manned by operators, people who collected your money and let you continue on your route. The transition to electronic tolls have made it more difficult for car renters to know how much they owe or how they will be charged.
Different car rental agencies have tried different solutions to this complication. Enterprise, National and Alamo offer the use of automatic tolling for $3.95 per day it is used, with a maximum charge of $19.75 for the rental term.
Other agencies put electronic transponders on their cars that get triggered when you drive past a toll booth. These charges will show up on your bill after you return the car. So even if you paid your toll in cash, double check the statement from your car rental company to be sure you didn’t pay twice.
If you are driving in the Northeast or in the mid-Atlantic states and have an E-ZPass, you can use this to make sure the toll fee goes to you directly. In California, some toll roads allow drivers to register a credit card to the rental car license plate and request that the tolls charge automatically.

Return the car on time
If you return the car too early, you might disrupt the facility’s planned schedule, so you should definitely call ahead. You will most likely still be expected to pay the full amount, even if you return the car a whole day in advance.
Late returns, on the other hand, almost always generate fees. If you don’t at least call the agency to let them know you will be late, you might be charged up to $60 per day in daily rental charges.

Take responsibility for traffic and parking violations
When it comes to run-ins with traffic cops, don’t think you can shirk responsibility just because you are in a rental car. In fact, you stand to get in even more trouble! Most of the major rental car services will charge you if they find out you racked up any tickets on their vehicle.
These penalties are usually detailed in the terms and conditions of the rental contract, so be sure to read the fine print carefully and know what you are and are not responsible for.

Beware of complimentary “upgrades”
USA Today reports that it is common for rental car employees to ask you if you want to “upgrade” your package when you pick up the car. They will not tell you there is an extra cost. But you should assume there is one. At Hertz, these upgrades can cost as much as $162.
That is why you need to read all the documents before you sign them! The same thing happens with last-minute insurance “upsells.” It is an old trick, but it still gets renters all the time.

23/12/2016

06/07/2016

Source: Ancient-Origine World’s first illustrated Christian bible discovered at Ethiopian monastery The world’s earliest illustrated Christian book has been saved by a British charity which located it at a remote Ethiopian monastery. The incredible Garima Gospels are named after a monk who arrived i...

08/10/2015

Ethiopian Business and Lifestyle

03/02/2015

International consultants, local experts partnering with Ministry of Culture & Tourism

The Ministry of Culture & Tourism (MoCT), together with consultants from United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has started grading and accreditation of 200 hotels in Addis Ababa and 400 hotels in the rest of the country starting mid-January, 2015.

The Technical committee from Ministry of Culture & Tourism (MoCT) prepared the document that is going to be used for the grading of the hotels. Before the grading system is approved by Ethiopian Standard Agency, which is the national standard body, different stakeholders such as Ethiopian Hotel Association, hotel owners, and Hotel and Tourism Institutions had deliberated on the document.

On December 28, 2014, MoCT had signed a consultancy agreement with United Nation World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) for the implementation of the hotel grading and accreditation. The project, financed by the World Bank (WB), costs 492,414 dollars. To carry out the implementation, nine UNWTO staff members arrived in Addis starting from mid-January, 2015 accompanied by 30 Ethiopian experts for the job. The grading result of hotels will be announced on September, 2015.

Hotels, to be eligible for grading should have at least 10 rooms, fulfill all the legal regulation requirements for health, safety and security fire, environmental requirements for waste management and have certified documentary evidence of compliance, according to the Hotel-Rating Requirements & Classification document. Availability of skilled, qualified and certified staff are also required for all stars. The document listed various specifications under 12 evaluation categories that range from exterior building, parking, gardening, safety and security, housekeeping and maintenance to kitchen. And the specification goes in detail and examines decoration, lighting, electronic appliances, flooring, escalators, ceiling, space etc.

The grading will be awarded based on the score given on these evaluations. Hotels that scores more than 80pc will be awarded five stars, if it scores 70, 60, 50 or 30 it will be awarded four, three, two or one star respectively, stated the document. The five stars convey exceptional standard while the four conveys excellent, three, two and one convey very good, good and acceptable standard respectively.

The Ministry is engaged in different comprehensive and integrated interventions to address key constraints in the sector. The need for hotel grading and accreditation is one of the intervention areas identified by it.

"We are aware of the challenges in relation to hotel grading from the start but only now have we become committed and integrated the goal as one of our Growth & Transformation Plans," stated Gezahegn Abate, international and public relation directorate director of MoCT.

It took almost four years for the Ministry to come up with the grading document and this is due to long and intensified deliberation with stakeholders to customize it in accordance with Ethiopia's hotel status, according to Gezahegn. In the past, hotels would award themselves whatever grade they felt seemed to fit them, he added.

The set standard, however, can be difficult for some hotels to meet, especially evaluation in relation to size will need demolishing building to meet the standard, which is inconsiderable, stated Zenawi Mesfin, general manager of Intercontinental Hotel Addis, which has so far given itself a five-star grade. Hotels that fail to meet the standard will be given three months time and support to improvise their status with the set standard, according to Gizachew. But if the hotel fails after three months it will not be eligible for the grading process.

For the past six years in Addis Abeba, hotel numbers have grown by 12 on average in a year and it is expected to reach 18 hotels per year in the coming six years. The number of rooms in the past six years has grown by 5,000, which amounts to 750 rooms per year and currently there are 7,500 hotel rooms in the capital.

17/01/2015

Jan 16, 2015

First airline in Africa to own and operate the B787 Dreamliner Full Flight Simulator





Continuing with its aviation technology leadership in Africa, Ethiopian, the largest and most profitable airline of the continent, is pleased to announce that it has acquired the first ever B-787 Dreamliner full flight simulator in Africa. The installation and build-up of the full flight simulator is in progress at Ethiopian's main hub in Addis Ababa and the first pilot training in the B-787 flight simulator will start in March, 2015.

Ethiopian was the first airline in the world outside Japan to receive and operate the B- 787 Dreamliner in August 2012. Currently, the airline is the largest operator of the B-787 in Africa. With the installation of the B-787 flight simulator, Ethiopian will be the first in Africa to give full flight simulator training for pilots on the B-787 aircraft.

CEO of Ethiopian Airlines Group, Mr. Tewolde Gebremariam, said “We are continually investing in developing our training capability. With installation of the B-787 Flight Simulator, we will be fully self-sufficient in providing in-house training for our pilots on the B-787 aircraft, which has become our core fleet on our mid and long range routes.

Over the last 4 years, we have invested $ 80 million in expanding both the scope and scale of our Academy. In line with our 15 years strategic roadmap Vision 2025, we will continue to invest heavily on our Academy with the objective of increasing its annual in-take capacity to from currently 1,000 trainees to about 4,000 by 2025.”
Ethiopian already provides full flight simulator training for pilots on the Q-400, the B737, the B757 and the B767.

20/09/2014

CNN - Mulatu Astatke: Spreading ethio-jazz to the world | September 2014

29/07/2014

It uses essential Ethiopian Berbere to create a ketchup-style condiment that can be used to blow up the spiciness of any dish.

05/07/2014

Facebooks' Zuckerberg Enjoys Ethiopian Food!! :-)

Ethiopian Business and Lifestyle

30/06/2014

Ethiopian Business and Lifestyle