Draft bill to allot 30 percent tourism revenue for community development

The Ministry of Culture and Tourism (MoCT) is drafting a new law which looks to benefit communities settled around tourist destinations by allocating some 30 percent of the total tourism revenue generated from the sector, The Reporter has learnt.

In an exclusive interview with The Reporter, Meaza Gebre-Medhin, state minister of MoCT, said that the ministry is drafting a proclamation in a view to help communities share the benefits from tourism sector. According to the state minister, the new trust fund proclamation and another one focusing on wildlife protection are in the making to incorporate the importance of allotting certain benefits to local communities’ development.

“We are in the process of drafting these laws to allocate some 30 percent of tourism revenues to the local communities, Meaza said. “The intention here is that protecting tourist destinations need participation of the communities and the practicality of that requires a legally warranted benefit which is necessary to reach those communities”.

Currently, priceless cultural and tourism heritages such as such as Lalibela rock hewn churches, and some national parks and sanctuaries are under critical danger. To protect these heritages, the ministry along other measures is devising laws which will also harmonize the ecotourism activities in the country

Source: The Reporter