Ethiopia - why the poor press?

Mike Wynne (Walks Worldwide, Managing Director)

In October 2006 I was fortunate to make my first visit to the Simien Mountains of Ethiopia - a region I had wanted to visit for a long time. The country I saw was stunningly beautiful, lush and green with fields full of crops; the people friendly and welcoming. After 25 years of travel I did not expect to return home so emotionally moved by this wonderful country - but moved I was beyond a doubt.

After years of famine-related press, in March 2007 Ethiopia was back in the news when five British diplomats were kidnapped. Media coverage portrayed only the negative aspects of the country and showed nothing of the beauty that had moved me.

Also in March, the UK saw the magnificent efforts of Comic Relief again raise millions of pounds to help the poor and needy of, amongst others, East African countries.

Tourism has the potential to bring a lot of foreign money directly into developing countries - far more directly than by 'texting' donations and then watching some of the money leak away en route to the ultimate beneficiaries. Tourism creates jobs and direct income for people who otherwise may not have work. Our group of 10 trekkers gave work to 20 ponymen, 2 scouts, 2 cooks, a guide...the list goes on.

Why is it that so many of us are afraid to visit countries like Ethiopia, who can benefit so much from the money we spend? Its hardly surprising really when most people's image of Ethiopia, created through the predominantly negative media coverage that it receives, is a country devastated by war, its people suffering from famine and drought.

At Walks Worldwide we continually monitor the Foreign and Commonwealth Office travel advice and would never send our clients to regions they deem unsafe for travel. However within a country as large as Ethiopia (four times the size of France) the vast majority is safe to visit. Even in Addis Ababa no one in our party felt more threatened there than they would in any large city.

No images or words can describe the stunning beauty of the Simien Mountains - you just have to see them for yourself. Towering Himalayan and Andean giants have impressed me on many occasions; a sea of golden sands in the Sahara, blown into curvaceous dunes stretching as far as the eye can see will be in my memory forever; and now the views from the top of the northern escarpment of the Simien National Park is another scene permanently imprinted on my mind.

Ethiopia used to be, and still has the potential to again be, the 'breadbasket' of East Africa. We are proud to re-launch our trek to this amazing destination. Please help us to help Ethiopia and other countries in a similar situation by travelling there with Walks Worldwide. Click here for our itinerary.