Pleasure Ethiopia Blog - Pleasure Ethiopia Tours

Travelife Sustainability Report 2025

2025-07-31T00:00:00+02:00

Beginning with the Awards and Recognitions:

https://www.pleasureethiopia.com/blog/post/awards-and-recognitions/

Shared our experiences with the public on different media platforms, such as the ones below:

Addis Media Network (AMN) TV about the challenges, potential, and what the future holds for Ethiopian tourism and the way forward for a sustainable practice.
Fana Television - about the water tourism potential and the way forward to materialize it.

Awards and Recognitions

2025-07-31T00:00:00+02:00

We received several certificates of participation and appreciation on various occasions. Below is the list:

Certificate of Participation in Webinar about the ‘Opportunities in European wellness tourism on 27 July 2023, organized by CBI The Netherlands.

Certificate of Appreciation in recognition of the expert contributions that informed the formulation of the Intergovernmental Authority Development (IGAD) Sustainable Tourism Master Plan (STMP) 2024-2034 by IGAD and UNECA (received in September 2024).

Certificate of Participation for attending and completing training Workshops on the Construction of Tourism Satellite Accounts (TSA) for Ethiopia held between March 2023 and July 2024 in Addis Ababa, Awasa, and Adama, Ethiopia (received in September 2024).

Certificate of Participation from the CBI Program Manager, Ms. Jeanette Scherpenzeel, on 31 December 2024 on the successful completion of the Business Export Coaching Programme, Ethiopia Tourism from 2019 - 2024 in the Development of an EXPORT MARKETING PLAN, on the themes of Product Development, Market Identification, Online Content Creation & Storytelling, Sustainability, and Digital marketing.

The program was organized by The Centre for the Promotion of Imports (CBI) and conducted by CBI Consultant, Theo Nagel.

Certificate of Participation for taking part in the 4-day theory and practical workshop on promoting UNESCO Global Geoparks and Geotourism as Drivers of Sustainable Development in East Africa, organized by the Ministry of Tourism and UNESCO from 12 – 15 May 2025.

Discount on Tourist Visa to Ethiopia

2024-08-15T00:00:00+02:00

Published on August 13, 2024, by VisasNews

The electronic visa for tourists used to be $82 for 90 days. But now it is lowered to $62 only for 30 days. The 90-day visa is no longer issued. However, it is only for tourist visas. Other types of visas such as Investment, Workshop/Conference, Journalist, and Visa extension remain the same.

The official website to apply for a visa to Ethiopia can be accessed at https://www.evisa.gov.et.

For more details, please click on the link below:

https://visasnews.com/en/ethiopia-lowers-the-price-of-its-tourist-visa/

Travelife Sustainability Report 2023

2023-07-08T00:00:00+02:00

Since we became Travelife Partner, this is our first sustainable tourism report. It comprises of variety of sustainable activities that helps the sector such as setting a landmark for new student entrants in the TVET colleges by designing a curriculum so that they can be well-equipped professionals when they graduate; being member of the technical and steering committee in the preparation of the TSA (Tourism Satellite Account) for Ethiopia, and a cultural advisor for Ethiopian Art Conservation Project; Creating awareness about the benefits of tourism and what people would gain from traveling, meeting people, learning their ways of life respecting their culture, minimizing negative environmental impacts, and supporting the economies of the local communities at different destinations to the extent of lifting them up for their survival in the rainy days; avoiding to use plastic bottles in the office and adding a water distiller. These and the like engagements kept us busy and happy as we are passionate to see tourism services in all the value chains are served sustainably. We hope this will be exemplary to others to practice sustainability.

Happy Ethiopian New Year / Ethiopian Calendar

2022-09-12T00:00:00+02:00

Ethiopia is a nation with a unique calendar system. Compared to the Gregorian Calendar, it is 7 years and 8 months behind. The New Year lies on Meskerem 1 or September 11 and becomes 12 in a leap year. One of the uniqueness Ethiopia is known for is its 13th month (Pagume). For this, it had its previous tourism motto "13 months of sunshine" which no country in the world claims to have. The 13th month, Pagume, contains only 5 days and becomes 6 on a leap year (like February 29) while the rest of the 12 days have 30 days each with no DST (Daylight Saving Time).

To name the years, the use of the four Gospels —Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John in rotation every four years is a wonderful example of how traditions and religious elements are woven into the fabric of timekeeping.

The other unique flora concerning the New Year is the Bidens macroptera (locally called Adey Abeba) a species of the herb in the family Asteraceae and native to Ethiopia. Adey Abeba symbolizes not only the end of the rainy season and the start of summer but also the end of a year and the beginning of a new one. it only blossoms in August and stays for two months. It's a small flower with 8 yellow petals with a light orange spot at the edge.

For the Ethiopian New Year (Enkutatash), a group of young girls sing the traditional New Year song Abebayehosh (Abebayesh Woy) and give Adey Abeba to their parents, relatives, neighbors, and loved ones as a symbol of luck and blessing for the new year.

The tradition of celebrating the New Year has long-standing cultural and religious significance and this shows its rich cultural tapestry interlocking with nature by using the Adey Abeba flower as a symbol of the new year, new season, and new beginnings.

Ethiopia’s Wenchi named Best Tourism Village 2021

2021-12-07T00:00:00+02:00

The competition recognizes villages that are an outstanding example of a rural tourism destination with recognized cultural and natural assets, that preserve and promote rural and community-based values, among others.

A total of 174 villages were proposed by 75 countries for this year's competition that allows each WTO Member State to present a maximum of three villages.

An independent Advisory Board evaluated the proposed villages against a set of criteria covering nine areas including Cultural and Natural Resources; Promotion and Conservation of Cultural Resources; and Tourism Potential and Development and Value Chain Integration.

During its General assembly in Spain’s capital Madrid, the UN agency announced 44 villages from 30 countries as winners of Best Tourism Villages 2021.

And Wenchi, a site located in the Oromia region and endowed with a legacy of once-powerful volcanoes, hot springs, and a crater lake, is among the best villages, according to the WTO.

Wenchi and its surrounding area are currently a subject of a mega preservation and construction project that aims to make it one of the top tourist destinations in Ethiopia.

Apart from Wonchi, five African sites have made it to the ‘Best Tourism Villages 2021’ winners list.

They are Le Morne and Old Grand Port of Mauritius, Nkotsi of Rwanda, Olergesailie of Kenya, and Sidi Kaouki of Morocco.

The UN agency launched the competition to advance the role of tourism in safeguarding rural villages, along with their landscapes, natural and cultural diversity.

“Tourism can be a driver of social cohesion and inclusion by promoting a fairer distribution of benefits throughout the territory and empowering local communities,” says UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili.

“This initiative recognizes those villages committed to making tourism a strong driver of their development and wellbeing”.

https://ethiopianmonitor.com/2021/12/02/ethiopias-wonchi-named-best-tourism-village-2021/

e-Visa Services Resumed

2021-09-03T00:00:00+02:00

It is to be recalled that the e-Visa services were stopped for the last two months, July and August. Now that it starts on 30 August 2021, travelers traveling to Ethiopia are just a click away. It is also expected to boost the tourism industry again.

We can't wait to have you with us soon and explore more of Ethiopia in a sustainable and responsible manner.

The Team

Pleasure Ethiopia Tour and Travel achieves Travelife Partner level

2021-07-20T00:00:00+02:00

Pleasure Ethiopia Tour and Travel complies with more than 100 criteria, related to an operator’s office management, product range, international business partners and customer information. The Travelife Partner level standard is covering the ISO 26000 Corporate Social Responsibility themes, including environment, biodiversity, human rights and labour relation.

Mr. Naut Kusters, manager of Travelife for Tour Operators, “I am delighted to see that sustainability in the tour operator sector is obtaining momentum. The Partner award of Pleasure Ethiopia Tour and Travel will inspire other companies in Ethiopia to follow the same path’.

Travelife is the leading international sustainability certification for the travel sector. More than 35 national travel associations are promoting the scheme to their members including, KATO, the Kenyan Association of Tour operators, TATO, the Tanzanian Association of Tour Operators, ABTA, The British Travel Association, PATA, the Pacific Asian Travel Association and FTT in South Africa.

Editor notes

Travelife for Tour operators & Travel agents

Naut Kusters, phone +31 6 48805 475

n.kusters@travelife.info

www.travelife.info

About Travelife (www.travelife.org)

Travelife is a certification system, dedicated to achieving sustainable practices within the tourism industry. It provides companies with realistic sustainability goals, tools and solutions to implement positive change within their businesses and supply chains. Travelife is managed by ABTA – The Travel Association in the UK - and by ECEAT Projects - a not-for-profit organisation based in The Netherlands. Travelife has two key focuses:

Travelife for Tour operators and Travel agents:

the scheme provides online training and practical tools for sustainability management and certification. The training and online tools are suitable for tour operators and travel agencies of any size and cover all management aspects of the travel company business including office operations, the supply chain, destinations and consumers. Upon submitting a report in compliance with the Travelife standard (based on an independent onsite audit), the company can obtain the “Travelife Certified” status.

The Travelife standard for Tour operators and Travel agencies is based upon the full Corporate Social Responsibility themes, including labour conditions, human rights, environment, biodiversity and fair business practices. The management requirements are compatible with EMAS and ISO 14001. The system is supported by more than 35 national travel associations to further its implementation among members.