{"id":457,"date":"2018-11-29T08:05:16","date_gmt":"2018-11-29T08:05:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ethiomajestic.com\/?p=457"},"modified":"2018-11-29T08:05:16","modified_gmt":"2018-11-29T08:05:16","slug":"cnn-ethiopia-is-the-hot-new-place-in-africa-heres-why","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ethiomajestic.com\/index.php\/2018\/11\/29\/cnn-ethiopia-is-the-hot-new-place-in-africa-heres-why\/","title":{"rendered":"CNN &#8211; Ethiopia is the hot new place in Africa &#8212; here&#8217;s why"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"Paragraph__component\"><cite class=\"Paragraph__cite\">(CNN) \u2014\u00a0<\/cite>In the late 1950s, Ethiopian Airlines launched an advertising campaign in the Western media that touted the ancient kingdom as Africa&#8217;s &#8220;newest travel adventure.&#8221;<\/div>\n<div class=\"Paragraph__component\">More than half a century later,\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.cnn.com\/travel\/destinations\/ethiopia\">the huge East African nation<\/a>\u00a0has yet to live up to that lofty billing. But it might not be much longer.<\/div>\n<div class=\"Paragraph__component\">The sights, the scenery, the culture are already there. Ethiopian&#8217;s ancient orthodox Christianity has endowed the nation with thousands of churches and monasteries, some of them enshrined as\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/edition.cnn.com\/2013\/04\/28\/travel\/gallery\/20-beautiful-unesco-sites\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">UNESCO World Heritage Sites<\/a>.<\/div>\n<div class=\"Paragraph__component\">A succession of empire and kingdoms added medieval forts, palaces and tombs like the Gondar citadel and the towering stone stele of Axum.<\/div>\n<div class=\"Slideshow__isInline Slideshow__component\">\n<div class=\"Carousel__component\">\n<div class=\"slider Carousel__overflowDecorators\">\n<div class=\"slider-frame\">\n<ul class=\"slider-list\">\n<li class=\"slider-slide\">\n<div class=\"Carousel__slide Carousel__isSlideActive\">\n<div class=\"Image__component Image__isLoaded Image__hasAspectRatio\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"Image__image\" src=\"https:\/\/dynaimage.cdn.cnn.com\/cnn\/q_auto,w_634,c_fill,g_auto,h_357,ar_16:9\/http%3A%2F%2Fcdn.cnn.com%2Fcnnnext%2Fdam%2Fassets%2F140221152538-unesco-05.jpg\" alt=\"unesco 05\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"erd_scroll_detection_container erd_scroll_detection_container_animation_active\">\n<div class=\"erd_scroll_detection_container\" dir=\"ltr\">\n<div class=\"erd_scroll_detection_container\">\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"slider-slide\">\n<div class=\"Carousel__slide\">\n<div class=\"Image__component Image__hasAspectRatio\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"Image__image\" src=\"https:\/\/dynaimage.cdn.cnn.com\/cnn\/q_auto,w_634,c_fill,g_auto,h_357,ar_16:9\/http%3A%2F%2Fcdn.cnn.com%2Fcnnnext%2Fdam%2Fassets%2F120202070341-thousand-places-8.jpg\" alt=\"Lalibela, Ethiopia\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"erd_scroll_detection_container erd_scroll_detection_container_animation_active\">\n<div class=\"erd_scroll_detection_container\" dir=\"ltr\">\n<div class=\"erd_scroll_detection_container\">\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"slider-slide\">\n<div class=\"Carousel__slide\">\n<div class=\"Image__component Image__isLoaded Image__hasAspectRatio\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"Image__image\" src=\"https:\/\/dynaimage.cdn.cnn.com\/cnn\/q_auto,w_634,c_fill,g_auto,h_357,ar_16:9\/http%3A%2F%2Fcdn.cnn.com%2Fcnnnext%2Fdam%2Fassets%2F130625153852-lalibela-ethiopia-church-st-george.jpg\" alt=\"lalibela ethiopia Church St. George\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"erd_scroll_detection_container erd_scroll_detection_container_animation_active\">\n<div class=\"erd_scroll_detection_container\" dir=\"ltr\">\n<div class=\"erd_scroll_detection_container\">\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"slider-slide\">\n<div class=\"Carousel__slide\">\n<div class=\"Image__component Image__isLoaded Image__hasAspectRatio\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"Image__image\" src=\"https:\/\/dynaimage.cdn.cnn.com\/cnn\/q_auto,w_634,c_fill,g_auto,h_357,ar_16:9\/http%3A%2F%2Fcdn.cnn.com%2Fcnnnext%2Fdam%2Fassets%2F130625154520-lalibela-ethiopian-priests-monks-timkat.jpg\" alt=\"lalibela ethiopian priests monks timkat\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"erd_scroll_detection_container erd_scroll_detection_container_animation_active\">\n<div class=\"erd_scroll_detection_container\" dir=\"ltr\">\n<div class=\"erd_scroll_detection_container\">\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"slider-slide\">\n<div class=\"Carousel__slide\">\n<div class=\"Image__component Image__isLoaded Image__hasAspectRatio\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"Image__image\" src=\"https:\/\/dynaimage.cdn.cnn.com\/cnn\/q_auto,w_634,c_fill,g_auto,h_357,ar_16:9\/http%3A%2F%2Fcdn.cnn.com%2Fcnnnext%2Fdam%2Fassets%2F130603141530-ethiopia-dallol-sulphur-springs.jpg\" alt=\"Ethiopia dallol sulphur springs\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"erd_scroll_detection_container erd_scroll_detection_container_animation_active\">\n<div class=\"erd_scroll_detection_container\" dir=\"ltr\">\n<div class=\"erd_scroll_detection_container\">\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"slider-slide\">\n<div class=\"Carousel__slide\">\n<div class=\"Image__component Image__isLoaded Image__hasAspectRatio\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"Image__image\" src=\"https:\/\/dynaimage.cdn.cnn.com\/cnn\/q_auto,w_634,c_fill,g_auto,h_357,ar_16:9\/http%3A%2F%2Fcdn.cnn.com%2Fcnnnext%2Fdam%2Fassets%2F130603141537-ethiopia-acid-pools.jpg\" alt=\"ethiopia acid pools\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"erd_scroll_detection_container erd_scroll_detection_container_animation_active\">\n<div class=\"erd_scroll_detection_container\" dir=\"ltr\">\n<div class=\"erd_scroll_detection_container\">\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"slider-slide\">\n<div class=\"Carousel__slide\">\n<div class=\"Image__component Image__isLoaded Image__hasAspectRatio\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"Image__image\" src=\"https:\/\/dynaimage.cdn.cnn.com\/cnn\/q_auto,w_634,c_fill,g_auto,h_357,ar_16:9\/http%3A%2F%2Fcdn.cnn.com%2Fcnnnext%2Fdam%2Fassets%2F140617110628-irpt-camels-in-danakil-depression-northern-ethiopia.jpg\" alt=\"irpt camels in Danakil Depression, Northern Ethiopia\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"erd_scroll_detection_container erd_scroll_detection_container_animation_active\">\n<div class=\"erd_scroll_detection_container\" dir=\"ltr\">\n<div class=\"erd_scroll_detection_container\">\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"slider-slide\">\n<div class=\"Carousel__slide\">\n<div class=\"Image__component Image__isLoaded Image__hasAspectRatio\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"Image__image\" src=\"https:\/\/dynaimage.cdn.cnn.com\/cnn\/q_auto,w_634,c_fill,g_auto,h_357,ar_16:9\/http%3A%2F%2Fcdn.cnn.com%2Fcnnnext%2Fdam%2Fassets%2F130603140236-ethiopia-volcano.jpg\" alt=\"ethiopia volcano\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"erd_scroll_detection_container erd_scroll_detection_container_animation_active\">\n<div class=\"erd_scroll_detection_container\" dir=\"ltr\">\n<div class=\"erd_scroll_detection_container\">\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"slider-slide\">\n<div class=\"Carousel__slide\">\n<div class=\"Image__component Image__isLoaded Image__hasAspectRatio\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"Image__image\" src=\"https:\/\/dynaimage.cdn.cnn.com\/cnn\/q_auto,w_634,c_fill,g_auto,h_357,ar_16:9\/http%3A%2F%2Fcdn.cnn.com%2Fcnnnext%2Fdam%2Fassets%2F151023100638-ethiopia-wines.jpg\" alt=\"ethiopia wines\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"erd_scroll_detection_container erd_scroll_detection_container_animation_active\">\n<div class=\"erd_scroll_detection_container\" dir=\"ltr\">\n<div class=\"erd_scroll_detection_container\">\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"slider-slide\">\n<div class=\"Carousel__slide\">\n<div class=\"Image__component Image__isLoaded Image__hasAspectRatio\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"Image__image\" src=\"https:\/\/dynaimage.cdn.cnn.com\/cnn\/q_auto,w_634,c_fill,g_auto,h_357,ar_16:9\/http%3A%2F%2Fcdn.cnn.com%2Fcnnnext%2Fdam%2Fassets%2F150331134821-inside-africa-ethiopia-fashion-hand-weaving.jpg\" alt=\"inside africa ethiopia fashion hand weaving\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"erd_scroll_detection_container erd_scroll_detection_container_animation_active\">\n<div class=\"erd_scroll_detection_container\" dir=\"ltr\">\n<div class=\"erd_scroll_detection_container\">\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"slider-slide\">\n<div class=\"Carousel__slide\">\n<div class=\"Image__component Image__isLoaded Image__hasAspectRatio\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"Image__image\" src=\"https:\/\/dynaimage.cdn.cnn.com\/cnn\/q_auto,w_634,c_fill,g_auto,h_357,ar_16:9\/http%3A%2F%2Fcdn.cnn.com%2Fcnnnext%2Fdam%2Fassets%2F150416172159-ethiopia-religious-sites-negash.jpg\" alt=\"Ethiopia religious sites Negash\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"erd_scroll_detection_container erd_scroll_detection_container_animation_active\">\n<div class=\"erd_scroll_detection_container\" dir=\"ltr\">\n<div class=\"erd_scroll_detection_container\">\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"slider-slide\">\n<div class=\"Carousel__slide\">\n<div class=\"Image__component Image__isLoaded Image__hasAspectRatio\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"Image__image\" src=\"https:\/\/dynaimage.cdn.cnn.com\/cnn\/q_auto,w_634,c_fill,g_auto,h_357,ar_16:9\/http%3A%2F%2Fcdn.cnn.com%2Fcnnnext%2Fdam%2Fassets%2F150323140405-ethiopia-11x.jpg\" alt=\"ethiopia 11x\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"erd_scroll_detection_container erd_scroll_detection_container_animation_active\">\n<div class=\"erd_scroll_detection_container\" dir=\"ltr\">\n<div class=\"erd_scroll_detection_container\">\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"slider-slide\">\n<div class=\"Carousel__slide\">\n<div class=\"Image__component Image__isLoaded Image__hasAspectRatio\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"Image__image\" src=\"https:\/\/dynaimage.cdn.cnn.com\/cnn\/q_auto,w_634,c_fill,g_auto,h_357,ar_16:9\/http%3A%2F%2Fcdn.cnn.com%2Fcnnnext%2Fdam%2Fassets%2F150323115212-ethiopia-38.jpg\" alt=\"ethiopia 38\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"erd_scroll_detection_container erd_scroll_detection_container_animation_active\">\n<div class=\"erd_scroll_detection_container\" dir=\"ltr\">\n<div class=\"erd_scroll_detection_container\">\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"slider-decorator-0\">\n<div class=\"CarouselDecorators__arrows\">\n<div class=\"CarouselDecorators__button CarouselDecorators__previous\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"CarouselDecorators__button CarouselDecorators__next\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"slider-decorator-1\">\n<div class=\"CarouselDecorators__count\">1\/13<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"Slideshow__caption\">Ethiopia was named as the world&#8217;s best destination for tourists in 2015 by the\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/ectt.webs.com\/apps\/blog\/show\/43411326-ethiopia-is-elected-as-world-be\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">European Council on Tourism and Trade<\/a>. What makes the country unique? Ethiopia is\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/whc.unesco.org\/en\/statesparties\/et\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">home to nine UNESCO World Heritage Sites<\/a>, including the Semien National Park. Massive erosion over the years on the Ethiopian plateau has created one of the most spectacular landscapes in the world, with jagged mountain peaks, deep valleys and sharp precipices dropping some 1,500 meters.<\/div>\n<div class=\"Slideshow__credit\">Veronique DURRUTY\/Gamma-Rapho\/Getty Images<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"Paragraph__component\">From Lake Tana and the Blue Nile to the red-rock Gheralta Mountains, the arid Danakil Desert and the lush Omo Valley, the landscapes are astounding and incredibly varied. Ethiopia&#8217;s wildlife riches are also diverse, from typical African savannah animals in the south to unique indigenous creatures like the gelada baboon and Ethiopian wolf.<\/div>\n<div class=\"Paragraph__component\">The missing ingredient has always been infrastructure &#8212; the kind of hotels, restaurants and service that tourism rivals like Kenya and South Africa mastered decades ago.<\/div>\n<div class=\"Paragraph__component\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2016\/03\/30\/foodanddrink\/ethiopia-coffee-origins-bonga\/index.html\">Bonga: Ethiopia&#8217;s epicenter of Arabica coffee &#8212; and so much more<\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"Paragraph__component\">\n<h3>A turning point<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"Paragraph__component\">&#8220;Tourism was on the back burner for a long time,&#8221; says Solomon Tadesse, CEO of the Ethiopian Tourism Organization (ETO). &#8220;The country was going through major changes and the government&#8217;s priorities were health, education, communication.&#8221;<\/div>\n<div class=\"Paragraph__component\">Not to mention drought, famine and revolution.<\/div>\n<div class=\"Paragraph__component\">&#8220;There were fundamental reasons why tourism infrastructure was not in place.&#8221;<\/div>\n<div class=\"Paragraph__component\">According to Tadesse, the government finally decided in 2013 that tourism could generate jobs, income and wealth just like any other economic sector.<\/div>\n<div class=\"Paragraph__component\">A tourism transformation council was established to provide direction to the industry and the ETO was created to handle marketing, promotion and product development.<\/div>\n<div class=\"Paragraph__component\">The tourism push coincided with a massive upsurge in foreign investment from China, India, Turkey and other nations that boosted GDP to annual growth rates of around 10%.<\/div>\n<div class=\"Paragraph__component\">With the Ethiopian economy going like gangbusters, tourism is slowly but surely moving toward the great expectations generated more than half a century ago.<\/div>\n<div class=\"Paragraph__component\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2015\/12\/11\/architecture\/gallery\/new-african-architecture\/index.html\">Photos: Africa&#8217;s eye-popping take on architecture<\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"Paragraph__component\">\n<h3>New infrastructure, expanding industry<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"CaptionedImage__component\">\n<div class=\"CaptionedImage__cta\">\n<div class=\"Image__component CaptionedImage__image Image__isLoaded Image__hasAspectRatio\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"Image__image\" src=\"https:\/\/dynaimage.cdn.cnn.com\/cnn\/q_auto,w_634,c_fill,g_auto,h_357,ar_16:9\/http%3A%2F%2Fcdn.cnn.com%2Fcnnnext%2Fdam%2Fassets%2F160719115739-ethiopia10-great-ethiopian-run-addis-ababa-c-ethiopian-tourism-organization.jpg\" alt=\"Ethiopia next big thing in Africa travel\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"erd_scroll_detection_container erd_scroll_detection_container_animation_active\">\n<div class=\"erd_scroll_detection_container\" dir=\"ltr\">\n<div class=\"erd_scroll_detection_container\">\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"CaptionedImage__ctaText\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"CaptionedImage__caption\">The annual Great Ethiopian Run in Addis Ababa is popular among tourists.<\/div>\n<div class=\"CaptionedImage__credit\">courtesy Ethiopia Tourism Organization<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"Paragraph__component\">Addis Ababa is in the midst of a building boom that includes a massive expansion of Bole International Airport and a number of new hotels including glitzy high-rise offerings from Marriott and InterContinental currently under construction.<\/div>\n<div class=\"Paragraph__component\">The national capital has a new light rail system (the first in Africa) and the Chinese government has undertaken the $4-billion task of rebuilding and modernizing the old railroad line between Addis and Djibouti.<\/div>\n<div class=\"Paragraph__component\">A brand new superhighway whisks traffic through the Great Rift Valley south of the capital while a nationwide road improvement campaign is rapidly improving land transport between other major cities.<\/div>\n<div class=\"Paragraph__component\">Provincial capitals are getting new airport terminals, and in some cases (like Jinka), airports where there was nothing before.<\/div>\n<div class=\"Paragraph__component\">Ethiopian Airlines is also bulking up.<\/div>\n<div class=\"Paragraph__component\">Celebrating its 70th anniversary this year, the national air carrier is in the midst of a massive expansion that includes the latest Boeing and Airbus aircraft.<\/div>\n<div class=\"Paragraph__component\">The route network is also growing, with New York, Los Angeles, Tokyo, Dublin, Cape Town and Manila added since early 2015.<\/div>\n<div class=\"Paragraph__component\">Tadesse expects tourism arrivals to reach one million for the first time this year, doubling the number of visitors from just three years ago.<\/div>\n<div class=\"Paragraph__component\">With so many new hotels and infrastructure improvements, Addis Ababa is ready for the rush. But doubts remain about whether the rest of the nation is prepared to become the next big thing in African travel.<\/div>\n<div class=\"Paragraph__component\"><a href=\"https:\/\/edition.cnn.com\/2015\/07\/24\/travel\/8-alternative-things-to-do-in-kenya\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Beyond safaris: 8 alternative things to do in Kenya<\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"Paragraph__component\">\n<h3>Attractive new accommodations<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"CaptionedImage__component\">\n<div class=\"CaptionedImage__cta\">\n<div class=\"Image__component CaptionedImage__image Image__isLoaded Image__hasAspectRatio\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"Image__image\" src=\"https:\/\/dynaimage.cdn.cnn.com\/cnn\/q_auto,w_634,c_fill,g_auto,h_357,ar_16:9\/http%3A%2F%2Fcdn.cnn.com%2Fcnnnext%2Fdam%2Fassets%2F160719115522-ethiopia6-gheralta-escaprment-red-rock-landscape-c-joe-yogerst.jpg\" alt=\"Ethiopia next big thing in Africa travel\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"erd_scroll_detection_container erd_scroll_detection_container_animation_active\">\n<div class=\"erd_scroll_detection_container\" dir=\"ltr\">\n<div class=\"erd_scroll_detection_container\">\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"CaptionedImage__ctaText\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"CaptionedImage__caption\">The spectacular Gheralta Escarpment is now home to many great wilderness lodges.<\/div>\n<div class=\"CaptionedImage__credit\">Joe Yogerst\/CNN<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"Paragraph__component\">Far and away the main issue beyond the capital is the substandard accommodation. Even the best hotels in celebrated destinations like Gondar, Lalibela and Bahir Dar hover just above a backpacker level.<\/div>\n<div class=\"Paragraph__component\">The hotel situation in the south is even more dire, with only a handful of properties rising above a single star.<\/div>\n<div class=\"Paragraph__component\">Problems range from lack of air conditioning, mosquito netting and basic bathroom amenities to lackluster service, less-than-stellar restaurant food and litter-filled hotel grounds.<\/div>\n<div class=\"Paragraph__component\">Yet here and there you find a gem.<\/div>\n<div class=\"Paragraph__component\">Like Gheralta Lodge in the mountains of the same name between Axum and Mek&#8217;ele in northern Ethiopia. Perched on a lofty ridge, the stone cottages overlook a stunning red-rock landscape redolent of America&#8217;s Southwest.<\/div>\n<div class=\"HTMLEmbed__component\">\n<div class=\"cnn-travel-map align-left clearfix\" data-alignment=\"left\" data-attractions=\"off\" data-display=\"service_info\" data-height=\"256\" data-hotels=\"off\" data-markers=\"{&quot;list&quot;&amp;#58;[{&quot;name&quot;&amp;#58;&quot;Gheralta Lodge&quot;,&quot;city&quot;&amp;#58;&quot;Hawzen&quot;,&quot;locationId&quot;&amp;#58;&quot;676720&quot;}]}\" data-restaurants=\"off\" data-service-info=\"\" data-timestamp=\"1468923838556\" data-width=\"100%\" data-zoom=\"13\">\n<p><em>Gheralta Lodge, Hawzen Ethiopia;<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"Paragraph__component\">&#8220;I spent six months going around Ethiopia with my wife making a list of 13 places that would be ideal for a hotel,&#8221; says lodge owner and founder Silvio Rizzotti, an Italian citizen who was born in Ethiopia.<\/div>\n<div class=\"Paragraph__component\">&#8220;We narrowed that down to three before deciding that Gheralta was the best place to create a modern eco-lodge.&#8221;<\/div>\n<div class=\"Paragraph__component\">New hotels are also in the works in the other places. Addis Ababa-based\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/jacarandatours.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Jacaranda<\/a>\u00a0is developing luxury properties on the shores of Lake Tana near Bahir Dar, on a hilltop above the ancient stele of Axum, in Simien Mountains National Park and overlooking historic Gondar.<\/div>\n<div class=\"Paragraph__component\">The properties will be managed by South Africa&#8217;s\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/aha.co.za\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">AHA hotel group<\/a>, one of the most experienced lodge, camp and hotel operators at the bottom end of the continent.<\/div>\n<div class=\"Paragraph__component\">Expected to open later this year or in early 2017, Jacaranda&#8217;s Gondar Hills resort is especially impressive, a $20-million mountaintop property. The environmentally friendly hotel will feature 110 rooms hewn from local stone and tucked beneath energy-saving sod roofs.<\/div>\n<div class=\"Paragraph__component\">&#8220;Tourism is new in Ethiopia,&#8221; says Jacaranda manager Andinet Feleke. &#8220;So you can&#8217;t compared with Kenya or Tanzania. It wasn&#8217;t a government priority until recently.<\/div>\n<div class=\"Paragraph__component\">&#8220;But over the last three or four years, the situation has improved a lot. And there&#8217;s much more awareness now that tourism is important to Ethiopia, that we can compete with Africa&#8217;s top destinations.&#8221;<\/div>\n<div class=\"Paragraph__component Article__footer\">Joe Yogerst is a freelance travel, business and entertainment writer based in California.<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>(CNN) \u2014\u00a0In the late 1950s, Ethiopian Airlines launched an advertising campaign in the Western media that touted the ancient kingdom as Africa&#8217;s &#8220;newest travel adventure.&#8221; More than half a century later,\u00a0the huge East African nation\u00a0has yet to live up to that lofty billing. But it might not be much longer. 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