More than half a Million Tourists Visited Unity Park since Opening, says official
ADDIS ABABA – Addis Ababa’s Unity Park has been visited by more than half a million people since its official opening two years ago, its director said.
The Park, built at a cost of five-billion-birr grant from various sources and initiated by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, was opened for visitors two years ago on October 10, 2019.
Since then, more than 590, 000 tourists have visited, said Dr. Tamirat Haile, director of Unity Park, in an event that marked the park’s two year inauguration on Saturday.
Of these, 487, 000, including 25, 000 foreign tourists, have paid to visit the park despite its six-month long closure due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
The remaining more than 100, 000 were allowed to visit the park, which has become a major tourist destination in the capital, for free.
“The park has played a major role in creating a positive image to the country since its inauguration apart from creating job opportunities for hundreds and generating revenue,” said Dr. Tamirat.
Its successful opening and impact has also paved a way for other major similar projects in other parts of Ethiopia, the director added.
Building on successes of the Unity Park as well as Sheger Riverside and Entoto Park projects, the government is now developing three major tourist sites in three regions.
The sites are located in Gorgora in the Amhara Regional State; Wonchi in the Oromia Regional State; and Koysha in the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples’ Regional State.
[Featured Image Unity Park]
