April 14, 2025 - Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

The Ethiopian Tour Operators Association (ETOA)'s Innovative Solutions for Tourism Management (ISTM) team met today with Her Excellency Selamawit Kassa, Minister of Tourism, to present their groundbreaking project aimed at revolutionizing Ethiopia's tourism sector.

ETOA's ISTM initiative, designed to address the challenges in the country's tourism industry, received a warm reception from Minister Kassa, who expressed her appreciation for the association's proactive approach. The minister raised important questions about managing stopover tourists and backpackers, to which the ETOA ISTM team confidently responded with tailored solutions currently in development.

A key point of discussion was the ongoing development of the visitethiopia.travel website, a collaborative effort between ETOA's ISTM team and the Information Network Security Administration (INSA). This new platform will serve as both a marketplace and a marketing website, designed to enhance Ethiopia's digital presence in the global tourism market.

Minister Kassa emphasized the importance of integrating ETOA's ISTM portal with the new visitethiopia.travel website, recognizing the potential for a unified digital strategy in promoting Ethiopian tourism. To facilitate this integration and move forward with implementation, the Minister directed the ETOA ISTM team to meet with the IT department for further discussions.

This meeting marks a significant step forward in the digitalization of Ethiopia's tourism sector, aligning with global trends and enhancing the country's competitiveness as a tourist destination. ETOA's ISTM team looks forward to continued collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism and related departments to bring this innovative solution to fruition.

The Ethiopian Tour Operators Association remains committed to driving positive change in the tourism industry through initiatives like ISTM. This project demonstrates ETOA's dedication to leveraging technology and innovation to enhance Ethiopia's appeal as a premier travel destination.

For more information about ETOA's ISTM project and its progress, please stay tuned to ETOA.TRAVEL for regular updates.