Partners
Ethiopian Sustainable Tourism Alliance (ESTA)
The Ethiopian Sustainable Tourism Alliance (ESTA) is a five year (2008 – 2013) project of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID-Ethiopia). Implemented by a consortium of US-based development organizations and Ethiopian partners, the project aimed to achieve biodiversity conservation through ecotourism development. ESTA was conceived under the Global Sustainable Tourism Alliance (GSTA), a global initiative to leverage tourism for economic development and conservation. For more information see the GSTA website: www.gstalliance.net.
Frankfurt Zoological Society (FZS)
Frankfurt Zoological Society (FZS) is a German-based international NGO which supports more than 80 conservation projects worldwide. FZS is dedicated to conserving important ecosystems and biodiversity in partnership with and for the people. In Ethiopia, FZS runs projects working to conserve Afro-montane ecosystems in both Amhara and Oromia regions. These projects support protected area management, develop community conservation areas, assist in sustainable livelihood and tourism development, and foster local and international research. FZS is committed to working in close cooperation with local organizations and communities, including governmental and non-governmental bodies. To find out more about these and other FZS projects please visit www.fzs.org, www.guassaarea.org and www.balemountains.org
Tesfa Community Based Tourism
Tesfa CBT was registered in Ethiopia in 2003 as a non-profit, local Non-Governmental Organization (NGO). Tesfa CBT is committed to helping communities in Ethiopia to provide a service to tourists that enables them to earn revenue. Tesfa CBT initially operated as part of a Save the Children (UK) project to develop rural livelihoods in the area with funding from the Royal Netherlands Embassy. The project, which began in 2004, ran up to April 2008. Since 2006, Tesfa CBT has received grants from the Irish Embassy/Irish Aid which have enabled the development of the Guiding Enterprise in Lalibela and the Technical Support Unit in Addis Ababa and is enabling Tesfa CBT to expand their work. The British Embassy has also provided grants to develop the marketing and further expand the operation in Meket. Additional funding was received in 2007/2008 from the German Embassy, Responsibletravel.com, the Tresillian Trust, ICAP, the Embassy Wives fund, and numerous clients and supporters. This generous support has enabled Tesfa CBT to extend the network of community tourism sites in Meket Woreda and onto Abuna Yoseph where Tesfa CBT has been most recently working in collaboration with Frankfurt Zoological Society to help conserve the fragile environment on this mountain home to the threatened and endemic Ethiopia Wolf. For more information visit www.tesfatours.com/about/.
Ecotourism Association of Ethiopia
The Ecotourism Association of Ethiopia (EAE) was founded in 2003 during a Global Impact workshop held in Addis Ababa. The workshop brought the public and private sectors together to discuss the importance of tourism and corporate social responsibility. The Ecotourism Association of Ethiopia represents a response by committed organizations of the private sector of Ethiopia to adopt and promote the principles of ecotourism and eco-efficient initiatives in order to address the challenges faced by the tourism sector. The Association’s mission is to facilitate the creation of eco-cultural destinations of the highest tourism standards in parallel to alleviating poverty, upgrading human resources, promoting Ethiopia’s rich cultural heritage, and rehabilitating environmental resources. The Association will do this by assuming a leadership position in professional learning, advocacy, and research and business development. For more information visit.www.ecotourismethiopia.org
