Reinventing Brand Ethiopia Pays-off

Dear Editors,

Thank you for mentioning The Sidama Lodge in your feature story headlined, “Still Waiting for the Prodigal Son” [Volume 8, Number 400, December 30, 2007], on which you tried to show the impact of the Millennium celebration on the number of tourists to Ethiopia in 2007. Indeed your story brought up a number of important issues and challenges in respect to the need for a strategic marketing campaign to make Ethiopia one of the key tourist destinations in Africa.

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Two Wrongs Not Equal to One Right

Dear Editors,

I read an article in the “View Point” column of your newspaper headlined, “What Went Right?” [Volume 8 Number 400, December 30, 2007]. It is an interesting article and the writer raised a very strong point. I agree, for instance, that the current government is not a popular one or respected by its people. I would like to ask the question why?

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Advertise, They Will Come

Dear Editors,

We have visited this lovely country twice and will be returning. We have travelled the historic route and had a short trip to the Great Rift Valley. However, having read your feature story headlined, “Still Waiting for the Prodigal Son” [Volume 8 Number 400, December 30, 2007] we are not surprised that the projected tourist figures for the Millennium Year do not look like they will be achieved.

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Avoiding Airport Restrictions Hurts Other Passengers

Dear Editors,

When will passengers realise that both checked and accompanied luggage restrictions are to be adhered to, and that any overages are always subjected to excess fees?

A recent flight from London’s Heathrow Airport to Addis Abeba had us witness Ethiopian Airlines check-in agents enforcing this rule, with many passengers of Ethiopian descent balancing their belongings across multiple suitcases right at the counter, and offloading certain items in order to meet the maximum set by the airline and avoid paying the posted fees.

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