Prospects and Challenges of Cultural Tourism in Nation Building in Northern Ethiopia: An

Empirical Analysis

Contents
1. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................... 2
1. REVIEW OF LITERATURE .................................................................................................. 4
2. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM ..................................................................................... 10
4. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY .............................................................................................. 12
4.1. GENERAL OBJECTIVE ................................................................................................... 12
4.2. SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES .................................................................................................. 12
3. RESEARCH QUESTIONS ................................................................................................... 12
4. METHODOLOGY ................................................................................................................ 13
5. STUDY AREA AND PEOPLE ............................................................................................. 13
6. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY ...................................................................................... 14
7. SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY ................................................................. 14
8. DATA ANALYSIS ............................................................................................................... 14
9. TIMELINE ............................................................................................................................ 15
10. REFERENCES ................................................................................................................... 16
Prospects and Challenges of Cultural Tourism in Nation Building in Northern Ethiopia: An
Empirical Analysis

Prospects and Challenges of Cultural Tourism in Nation Building in Northern

Ethiopia: An Empirical Analysis

By Dejen G/Yohannes

1. INTRODUCTION
UNWTO defined cultural tourism established from a broad perspective as “all movements of
people to meet the human need for diversity, aimed at raising the cultural level of the individual,
providing new knowledge, experiences and encounters.” The same source gives us a narrower
definition that refers to the “movements of persons for essentially cultural motivations such as
study tours, performing arts and other cultural tours, travel to festivals and other cultural events,
visit to sites and monuments” (UNWTO, 1995).

Cultural tourism is a travel that is motivated entirely, or in part, by artistic, heritage or historical
attractions. Most often cultural tourism is associated with arts, humanities, museums, festivals,
food, music, theatre and special celebrations (Edgell, 2006). It is one of the oldest and most
pervasive forms of tourism. The World Tourism Organization place the number of tourists at
around 40 per cent, suggesting that heritage and culture are a significant part of nearly half of all
international trips (Timothy, 2008).

The Charter of Cultural Tourism International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS)
(1999) expands these definitions incorporating the concept of cultural exchange as part of a form
of tourism that “provides a personal experience, not only of that which has survived from the
past, but of the contemporary life and society of others”.

In the context of dramatic economic, political and social changes that are shaking the world,
cultural tourism has an important role in communicating the core values of intercultural dialogue,
protection and promotion of cultural diversity and preservation of cultural heritage, whose
tangible and intangible assets constitute the important part of the cultural identity.

Cultural tourism, which is best related to the changes in preferences of (post)modern tourists and
requirements of sustainable development (in other words: which cares for the culture it consumes
while culturing the consumer), helps to reconfirm the importance of our own cultures while
Prospects and Challenges of Cultural Tourism in Nation Building in Northern Ethiopia: An
Empirical Analysis

improving intercultural communication, respecting other cultures and deepening mutual

understanding and solidarity among different ethnic, national, religious and linguistic entities.

In the cultural tourism communication process, seen as creative and stimulating interaction of
elements between different cultures and individuals, local values and identities interact and
interface with development of global cultural demands. Many local communities are now
actively trying to identify and develop their tangible and intangible cultural assets as the means
of developing comparative advantage in an increasingly competitive tourism marketplace, and to
create local distinctiveness in the face of globalization. In addition to neutralizing the negative
effects of traditional forms of tourism, regeneration and protection of cultural heritage treasures,
contribution to employment and sustainable economic growth, the fundamental advantage of
cultural tourism is that, by using the heritage treasury, with a minimal investment, it attracts the
fast-growing segment of cultural tourists, which consumption is not significantly affected by
fluctuations in the global market.

Combination of cultural and tourism development policies acts as a catalyst, promoting the local
destination as the most desirable place to live, work, visit and invest in. Investing in cultural
tourism can significantly improve the quality of life of local residents and their guests.

The World Heritage Convention adopted by the General Conference of UNESCO in 1972
classifies heritage/tourism resources as cultural heritage/tourism, and natural heritage/tourism.
Cultural heritage/tourism properties are results of human past activities; the legacy of physical
artifacts and intangible attributes of the society, they are believed to have been inherited from
past generation, they are safeguarded and preserved in the present and bestowed for the benefit
of the future generations.

Ethiopia in general and the historic route in particular is among the richest places in cultural
tourism resources. Cultural heritage potentials of Ethiopia are consisting of several productions
of architectural and artistic manifestations. Proclamation No. 209/2000 categorizes architectural
and artistic products and other man made religious and secular objects and traditions as cultural
heritage possessions.
Prospects and Challenges of Cultural Tourism in Nation Building in Northern Ethiopia: An
Empirical Analysis

1. REVIEW OF LITERATURE
A) Culture, Cultural diversity and expressions

As a concept, the term ‘culture’ is one that possesses different meanings in various disciplines
and fields of study. For Williams (1983), “culture is one of the two or three most complicated
words in the English Language”. Nevertheless, attempts have been made to define culture by a
number of scholars. According to Williams (1983), the word ‘culture’ originated as a noun that
referred to the act of cultivating crops. Thereafter, this notion of cultivation was expanded to
encompass the cultivation or nurturing of the human mind. Thus, the idea of a cultured mind or
cultivated person was born. However, the nineteenth century brought with it a more
anthropological definition of the term. By this new definition, culture became understood as “a
whole and distinctive way of life. This understanding of culture emphasized ‘lived experience’”
(Barker: 2003). Again, Marvin (1980) defined culture as, “the learned repertory of thoughts and
actions exhibited by the members of social groups” (Marvin, 1980). Marvin’s conception of
culture is portrayed in a holistic sense; that is, culture is seen as the whole of existence or the life
of a community not just an aspect of life that is concerned solely with education and the
cultivation of civilized character. Marvin’s definition also suggests that culture is the ‘learned
repertory’, in other words culture becomes a process in which a group of people acquire all the
skills, knowledge and techniques needed to survive in any given environment (which they live
in) through training and experience, which is not instinctual but passed down from generation to
generation. By this, culture is a process of learning and this explains why every culture is unique
to its respective environment. In effect, different environments require unique and almost
inimitable skill, knowledge and techniques for the survival of each individual. Marvin’s
conception of culture also suggests ‘thoughts and actions’ as elements of culture. Thus, culture
also encompasses the particular way of thinking or pattern of ideas and beliefs of a people or a
society. As stated earlier, since each environment requires a unique ‘way of living’, it would be
laughable to outrightly and condescendingly condemn a people’s culture simply because one
cannot relate to or understand its foundation. However, this definition is quite simplistic and fails
to elucidate the institutional aspects of culture. A more descriptive definition of culture is offered
by Nwegbu, Eze and Asogwa (2011). They define culture as: A pattern of human activities and
the symbols that give these activities significance. It is what people eat, how they dress, beliefs
they hold and activities engage in. It is the totality of life evolved by a people in their attempts to
Prospects and Challenges of Cultural Tourism in Nation Building in Northern Ethiopia: An
Empirical Analysis

meet the challenges of living in their environment, which gives order and meaning to their social,
political, economic, aesthetic and religious norms and modes of organization thus distinguishing
people from their neighbors (Nwegbu, Eze & Asogwa, 2011). This definition exposes a more
humanistic view of culture. Culture is not only about the activities of man, but it also signifies
the representations and the characters that give these activities meaning or importance. Culture is
also portrayed as a process that doesn’t just emerge, but one that evolves.

The scientific construct of diversity of cultures is as old as culture itself. Cultures have always
formed different subcultures and a diversity of life expressions. Cultures are never closed
systems. Even when autocratic systems have tried to isolate cultures from the outside world,
these cultures would inwardly develop in different ways, progressing and creating new material
and immaterial expressions. The expression of cultural diversity plays an integral role in cultural
development itself and is not a phenomenon caused by recent social developments. Cultural
diversity originates in the dynamic processes by which cultures move from the past to the
present, and by which they shape their futures (ICOMOS, 1995).

The implied question is how diversity should be understood and communicated so that people
may benefit from it. This question refers to the diversity of human cultures, to their values and
norms, as well as to religions and their representations.

Diversity has always manifested itself in different styles of music, performance and art. Diversity
can also be seen where current living conditions transform into different cultural expressions,
such as in today's youth culture.

Diversity – as mentioned above – refers to the heritage of humanity and how the categories of
this heritage must be defined so that geographical, cultural, religious, tangible and intangible
diversity can be represented.

This need for an application-oriented interpretation of cultural diversity has to be answered by

international and national UN institutions, such as UNESCO, but also by research institutions.

The latter should, in a further step forward, develop strategic recommendations on how to make
cultural diversity usable for human development in a constructive way, and if necessary, how to
Prospects and Challenges of Cultural Tourism in Nation Building in Northern Ethiopia: An
Empirical Analysis

place more emphasis on its protection. For all these reasons, World Heritage and Cultural
Diversity addresses a burning issue (Albert, 2006).

In the context of the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, the
Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, in addition
to the World Heritage Convention itself, a number of fundamental questions occur that are
addressed explicitly and implicitly by the contributors, notably:

 How can intangible heritage and cultural expressions be protected in dynamically

changing cultures without hampering cultural innovation – the dynamic potential of all
cultures?
 What is the sense in safeguarding intangible heritage, and when does support and
protection of lifestyles turn into making a museum out of people's lives? Where is the line
between the protection of culture and its transformation into an exotic object?
 How can traditions be conserved and passed on without becoming static?
 What needs to be done to prevent the safeguarding of intangible cultural goods from
becoming counterproductive to the development of diverse practices and cultural
innovation?
B) Heritage

Heritage According to the Encyclopedia of Tourism (2000), the various definitions of heritage
usually refer to ideas of inheritance that have been passed down from long ago. When used in
relation to tourism, heritage can be categorized into two: cultural heritage/tourism and natural
heritage/tourism. In a cultural sense, heritage can refer to the history, beliefs and ideologies,
values, traditions, customs, arts and music, standard of living, etc of a society. While naturally,
heritage can mean the landscapes in which such a people finds itself. For Gunay (2008), heritage
is “part of the past which we select to determine economic, cultural or social values. This ‘value-
loaded concept’ of heritage makes the subject matter relate to present circumstances and
provides an interpretation of history”. A people, of necessity therefore require knowledge of their
past in order to thoroughly and systematically understand their unique present and to
productively mould a prosperous future for themselves. It is for this reason that the importance of
conserving one’s heritage (whether natural or cultural) is paramount for any society or people
who intend to prosper. Again, heritage is defined as “a form of trust to be established on firm
Prospects and Challenges of Cultural Tourism in Nation Building in Northern Ethiopia: An
Empirical Analysis

footing and reinforced so as to promote a culture’s perpetuity, its quality and its uniqueness”
(Aig- Imoukhuede, 1987). This suggests that heritage represents a faith that a people hopefully
rely on for their advancement and continuous existence. It validates their identity and their
character which is showcased in their attitudes and their attainments. Aig-Imoukhuede further
argued that “cultural heritage involves more than just music, dancing and arts; cultural heritage is
more than charms and incantations. Its elements can be found in artifacts which insinuate a solid
technological base of undisputable value. It also possesses an oral tradition which is comprised
of a rare assortment of practical accomplishments and inspiring philosophies” (AigImoukhuede,
1987). According to the Wikipedia Online Encyclopedia (2012), heritage is the “legacy of
physical artifacts (cultural property) and intangible attributes of a group or society that are
inherited from past generations, maintained in the present and bestowed for the benefit of future
generations. Cultural heritage includes tangible culture (such as buildings, monuments,
landscapes, books, works of art, and artifacts), intangible culture (such as folklore, traditions,
language, and knowledge), and natural heritage (including culturally significant landscapes, and
biodiversity)”. From the foregoing, one can vividly see the intimate and intricate bond or
relationship that exists between culture and heritage. These two concepts are intertwined and it
would be almost impossible to accurately explain one without making reference to the other.

C) Tourism

Tourism can be defined as the “study of human (the tourist) away from his usual habitat, of the
touristic apparatus and networks responding to his/her various needs, and of the ordinary (where
the tourist is coming from) and non-ordinary (where the tourist goes to) worlds and their
dialectic relationships” (Encyclopedia of Tourism, 2000). By this definition, human becomes the
central focus of tourism. Human’s behavior is thus examined within an environment that is
different from where or what he/she is used to and how he/she is able to adapt to the new
challenges that will be faced. From the above therefore, tourism examines the positive
interaction or the negative contention between the ‘ordinary’ and ‘non ordinary worlds’ and how
human is still able to meet his/her needs in the light of the ‘non-ordinary’. According to the
Wikipedia Online Encyclopedia (2012), the United Nation World Tourism Organization
(UNWTO) defines tourists as people who "travel to and stay in places outside their usual
environment for more than twenty-four (24) hours and not more than one consecutive year for
Prospects and Challenges of Cultural Tourism in Nation Building in Northern Ethiopia: An
Empirical Analysis

leisure, business and other purposes not related to the exercise of an activity remunerated from
within the place visited". This definition puts a time frame to the period in which a tourist may
still be regarded as one. It also mentions that the tourist does not engage in work related activities
by which he/she can be paid. Precisely and more relative to the study, as stated by the NTWG
Report (2009), tourism is the “active process of harvesting profit from culture by converting the
raw ingredients of life into a moneymaking enterprise through the conscious and deliberate
development of culture into products for sale and consumption. It involves the active
development and cultivation of inbound consumers as well within-bound consumers” (NTWG
Report, 2009: 10). The above definition examines tourism in light of a society that possesses
culture. From this definition, tourism is a ‘process’ that is ‘active’. In other words, tourism is a
continuous and unrelenting activity which transforms the abstract concept of culture into a
profitable venture that produces revenue for a people and its government. Also, the consumers of
tourism are not only those who come from without, but also within the given environment. More
so, for Knox and Marston (1998: 55), “tourism is the largest global industry in terms of
employment and revenues. One estimate suggests that one of every 15 workers worldwide is
engaged in transporting, feeding and otherwise serving tourists”. This view makes tourism one of
the most important industries in any economy which shouldn’t be managed or operated with
apathetic abandon and reckless indifference.

Tourism also significantly influences a society constructively. The Report by the Culture,
Tourism and National Reorientation Thematic Group (2009: 11) rightly states that “socially, one
of the most immediate benefits of the tourism industry is its ability to create employment and, in
the case of tourism, an added benefit is that it caters for both skilled and unskilled employment.
As a labor intensive industry, tourism has the potential to create more jobs per unit of investment
than any other industry and tourism can be a useful source of employment for women and ethnic
minority groups”. It further contends that: Environmentally, tourism, when properly developed
and managed, can serve as a mechanism for protecting natural environments; preserving
historical, archaeological and religious monuments; and, stimulating the practice of local
cultures, folklore, traditions, arts and crafts, and cuisine. And economically, tourism brings many
benefits to the Central Government, local authorities as well as the private sector through the
generation of foreign revenue, financial returns on investment, taxation on tourists and tourist
products, and, linkages to other local industries such as agriculture and fisheries (NTGW, 2009:
Prospects and Challenges of Cultural Tourism in Nation Building in Northern Ethiopia: An
Empirical Analysis

11). This signifies that the ripple effects of the judicious employment of tourism can be seen in
every aspect of a society which includes the economic, the social and the environmental.
Accordingly, tourism should not be relegated to the backseat; rather it should take the driver’s
seat of any nation that intends to experience development.

D) Nation Building

According to Tokunbo Ajasin, as cited in Onasanya (2009: 10), nation building “ordinarily
suggests the existence of builders and by logical extension a blue print by which the nation is
being built or is going to be built. In other words, there must exist a set of people (builders,
leaders) who have very clear, distinct, focused and principal orientation about how, when, what
and why the nation must be built” (Onasanya, 2009: 6). This argument simply expresses the
meaning of nation building in simple but logical terms. It also identifies those who engage in the
activity and the features that they should possess in building a nation. He concludes by
categorically stating that: In a nutshell, nation building cannot start until there is a well laid-out
plan that is properly and conspicuously articulated by political leaders such that the plan
becomes an international public article of faith based on popular acceptability. It is the level of
persistency in implementation that determines the quality and extent of development that each
person, organization, or nation experiences. Therefore every generation has its mission in the
interpersonal, organizational, national building task (Onasanya, 2009: 13). As a matter of fact,
there are two elements involved in the process of nation building. They are the state which is
represented by the government on one hand; and those who are governed on the other hand. The
convoluted and dynamic relationship between a government and its people is a determining
factor in deciding whether that society can be built into a prosperous or developed one. A society
that possesses a constructive relationship between its government and its people will be
prosperous and vice versa. In a presentation by Gambari (2008:1) during his tenure as Under-
Secretary-General and Special Adviser to the United Nations Secretary-General, he argues that
“nations just don’t happen by historical accident; rather they are built by men and women with
vision and resolve. Nation-building is therefore the product of conscious statecraft, not
happenstance. Nation-building is always a work-in-progress; a dynamic process in constant need
of nurturing and re-invention. Nation-building never stops and true nation-builder never rest
because all nations are constantly facing up to new challenges”. In other words, if a nation has to
Prospects and Challenges of Cultural Tourism in Nation Building in Northern Ethiopia: An
Empirical Analysis

exist, there has to be determined and deliberate; purposeful and persistent; and resolute and
resilient efforts not only by statesmen, but also by the general number of men and women who
make up the state. In the same presentation, Gambari further outlined the important aspects of
nation building which include: A political entity which corresponds to a given territory, based on
some generally accepted rules, norms, and principles, and a common citizenship. Secondly, it is
also about building institutions which symbolize the political entity – institutions such as a
bureaucracy, an economy, the judiciary, universities, a civil service, and civil society
organizations. Above all else, however, nation-building is about building a common sense of
purpose, a sense of shared destiny, a collective imagination of belonging. Nation-building is
therefore about building the tangible and intangible threads that hold a political entity together
and gives it a sense of purpose (Gambari, 2008: 1). Gambari’s view on nation building focuses
mainly on the development of the political entity which must operate within a definite
geographical territory, must be founded upon vital institutions, principles, beliefs, etc which
represent it and a unified ‘sense of purpose’. In summary nation building refers to the visible and
invisible workings of the government and its people toward being unified.

2. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Cultural tourism has been identified as a major growth area by policy-makers. Interest in
Cultural tourism is increasing not only because it is seen as a fruitful market, but also because it
dovetails neatly with many of the policy priorities at different administrative levels, including the
generation of income and jobs, tackling regional imbalance and cultural development.

In this modern world cultural tourism is becoming popular in several parts of the world, for
instance in South Africa creating a cultural-environmental themed route in the Alfred Nzo

District of the Eastern Cape, Australia’s Great Southern Touring Route, Colombian cultural tours

that attract the world, Bogota the cultural soul of Colombia, Buenos Aires Cultural Planning in
Argentina, Cultural routes in Hungary and the like (UNWTO, 2015).

Bogota, as the capital of Colombia has a significant culture offer which has been strengthened
during the last few years. It is worth mentioning that the growing of tourism activity in Bogota
had been above the world average of 4.5% and country average 6%, climbing the chart with
Prospects and Challenges of Cultural Tourism in Nation Building in Northern Ethiopia: An
Empirical Analysis

1,065,000 foreign tourists and around 8,000,000 domestic tourists in 2013. It also shows an
increase of 17% compared to last year. This fact aims to set a strategy in cultural tourism and
develop products related to the culture offer in Bogota and its activity, with remarkably touristic
and widely representative resources. The capital city has been developing a strong cultural offer
representing 70% of the total tourism attractions and activities, among other events such as
Festival Iberoamericano de Teatro; Feria Internacional del Libro de Bogota; The Cultural
Markets organized by Chamber of Commerce (Bogota Audiovisual Market - BAM and Bogota
Music Market - BOOM). There are also annual large scale cultural events as Festivals al Parque,
recognized by UNESCO as a strategy of the Creative City of Music, which is a declaration
achieved by Bogota in 2012. The capital city has been the only one in America renowned for this
category manifesting itself in the traditional trajectory of the Philharmonic Orchestra of Bogota,

more than 600 scenarios for the live-playing music shows, the libraries’ net and all the events

shown there (Ibid).

On the face of it, cultural tourism has obvious advantages as a tool for regional development.
Demand is apparently growing, cultural tourism provides support for local culture and the
incorporation of culture into the tourist product provides distinction in an increasingly globalized
market (Butler, 1990).

Cultural tourism has often been described as a sustainable alternative to mass tourism (Edgell,
2006), the best model for local tourism development or the tourism that brings financial and
social benefits for local community (McKercher and Du Cros, 2002). It is a form of tourism that
“cares for the culture it consumes while culturing the consumer” (Richards, 2007).

As we know Ethiopia one of the few countries in the world with diversified cultural composition
and this makes the country delightful and delicious destination for several types of tourists
specifically for tourists who travel to look for a new experience, different from their everyday
life; who wish to learn something new about humanity and the world around them, and who seek
for the new identities. For this matter Cultural tourism can be an ideal form of tourism to practice
in Ethiopia.

In the past years Ethiopia has put emphasis on mass tourism selling the available tourism
products with little intentions towards culture, nation building, identity and community based
Prospects and Challenges of Cultural Tourism in Nation Building in Northern Ethiopia: An
Empirical Analysis

developments with marketing focus on the historical but tangible and natural beauties, national
park and climate. Cultural tourism in general has been chronically neglected. Although many
tourism policies and programs include culture as a part of a tourist package, cultural tourism in
Ethiopia is still not sufficiently developed. Most of these cultural programs have been imported,
not using Ethiopian cultural distinctiveness as a tourism resource. Considering this all working
on nation building in relation with cultural tourism will help the region (the study area) to
upgrade the utilization level of the resources, benefit the host community, improve the living
standard of the community and strengthen regional cooperation, respect and belongingness
among the people.

4. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

4.1. GENERAL OBJECTIVE
General objective of the study is to evaluate critically the challenges and prospects cultural
tourism resources in nation building and uncover the factors for the maximum benefit of the
community.

4.2. SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES

 To examine the cultural tourism and cultural exchange practices in the study area
 To evaluate the available challenges on cultural tourism development and nation building in
the area
 To indicate the role of cultural tourism practice for nation building
 To identify the possible programs and strategies for the development of cultural tourism in
parallel with nation building

3. RESEARCH QUESTIONS
What are the cultural tourism and cultural exchange practices in the study area
What are the challenges on cultural tourism development and nation building
How the development of cultural tourism helps for nation building
What are the possible programs and strategies to develop cultural tourism practices
Prospects and Challenges of Cultural Tourism in Nation Building in Northern Ethiopia: An
Empirical Analysis

4. METHODOLOGY
Exploratory and descriptive analytical research designs will be applied to evaluate the challenges
and prospects cultural tourism resources in nation building for the maximum benefit of the
community. To explore concrete possibilities of cultural tourism development, and to identify
key elements of nation building and destination image in the global tourism market, quantitative
and qualitative methods will be combined and employed: the survey method will be conducted
and in parallel questionnaire technique will be used to collect data from tourists, local population
and cultural tourism experts and others. The main goal will be to assess different interest groups
‘perceptions and perspectives of the study area as a cultural tourism destination and to define the
key elements of its cultural identity, which makes the area unique and recognizable on the
cultural map of the industry and in the perception of its guests and residents. The study will
employ parallel content analysis of monographs and multimedia resources about the study area.
One of the aims will also be to train future professionals for the research and critical reflection of
the development of their communities. Therefore, the study will include students of the second
and third year of Interdisciplinary Study Program of Tourism and Anthropology at Mekelle
University, who will survey tourists and local residents, and interviewing experts in related
fields.

5. STUDY AREA AND PEOPLE

Geographically the study area is located in the northern part of Ethiopia locally known as the
historic circuit. Specifically, the study area will element the western Amahara regional state,
eastern Afar and Tigrai regional state. The targeted population will be elders of a community,
church service providers (priest, clergy, daikon and religious followers), groups that are related
to the church, and local government officials, tourism experts, employees of local tourism
agencies, non-government organizations, tourism related associations and councils, convention
and visitors bureaus, tourism planning and development enterprises, tourism related faculty and
professionals, local tourism attractions, and visiting and information centers, civic associations,
youth association, cultural institutions, ARCCH and MoCT.
Prospects and Challenges of Cultural Tourism in Nation Building in Northern Ethiopia: An
Empirical Analysis

6. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The motivation of the study is not only for academic purpose, but also to provide practical
alternatives for successful development of cultural tourism in nation building. The results of this
research can be used as an input in understanding the extent of current condition cultural tourism
performance, challenges towards the activity, community awareness and participation of the
study area.

For these reasons, this research will help planners, policy makers, implementers, None
Governmental Organizations, facilitators, private and public sectors to consider, formulate and
implement cultural tourism appropriately. In other words, it will help and guide policy makers to
consider the entire (appropriate) relationship between cultural tourism and nation building for its
better implementation and create a comfortable interaction among the available customers and
host communities. Moreover the intended study will deliver genuine contribution to develop
healthy relationship, respect and belongingness among the people (ethnicity) of the region.

Furthermore, it will serve as a springboard for further researches, which have been hitherto not
well articulated and addressed based on scholarly considerations.

7. SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

Geographically the intended study will be delimited on the northern part of the country
specifically Amhara, Afar and Tigrai.

The study mainly emphasizes on evaluating the prospects and challenges of cultural tourism in
nation building.

8. DATA ANALYSIS
The collected data will be thoroughly processed, analyzed and interpreted to get the realized and
detailed insight of the problem under investigation. In analyzing the quantitative data, data will
be coded and statistical package for Social science (SPSS) software version 20 will be used as a
facilitator for analysis. In presenting the findings from the quantitative data of the survey, the
researcher will use indices of central tendency (means and standard deviations) and indices of
response patterns (frequencies and percentages) separately or in combination. Means and
Prospects and Challenges of Cultural Tourism in Nation Building in Northern Ethiopia: An
Empirical Analysis

standard deviations will have useful statistical properties and are simple yet powerful measures.
Frequencies and percentages are thought to simplify and improve communicability of the data
results. Higher level inferential statistics like regression model will also be used as necessary to
answer the question of the study. Hence, appropriate statistical techniques that fit to the nature of
data and each objective will be utilized.

In the quantitative instruments of the study, once the data are collected, screened for their
validity and processed manually; descriptive analysis will be used for analysis and interpretation
through narrations and descriptions based on systematic grouping and content analysis to
describe phenomena into their respective objectives. Ideas will be refined and revised in light of
information gathered into their thematic areas. All the data collection techniques employed in
this project will complement with each other and ensure comparison while enabling
crosschecking of the findings from one technique with those of another. The quantitative
findings will be reinforced by the results of quantitative data emanating from respondents’
comments on open ended questions, interviews and focus group discussions. In addition; the
findings from the interviews, focus group discussions and survey will be triangulated, integrated
and compared with those from field observations and document analysis.

9. TIMELINE
Task 2019/20 2020/21 2021/22

Sep-Dec Jan-Aug Sep-Dec Jan-Aug Sep-Dec Jan-June

Literature Review

Research Proposal

Development of tools

Data Collection
Analysis of Data

Thesis Write-up

Submission of Dissertation
Prospects and Challenges of Cultural Tourism in Nation Building in Northern Ethiopia: An
Empirical Analysis

10. REFERENCES
Albert, M.-T. 2006. Paper presented at Cultural Heritage in the 21st Century – Opportunities and
Challenges seminar. International Cultural Centre, Cracow, 24 – 28 May.

Barker, C. (2003). Cultural Studies: Theory and Practice. London: Sage Publications Ltd.

ICOMOS. 1995. Training Strategy in the Conservation of Cultural Heritage Sites. Prepared by
Jukka Jokilehto for ICCROM in consultation with UNESCO World Heritage Centre and
Physical Heritage Division, and ICOMOS.

Williams, R. (1983). Keywords: A Vocabulary of Culture and Society. London: Fontana.

Marvin, H. (1980). Cultural Materialism: The Struggle for a Science. New York: Vintage

Nwegbu, M. U., Eze, C. C., & Asogwa, B. E. (2011). “Globalization of Cultural Heritage: Issues,
Impacts and Inevitable Challenges for Nigeria.

Gunay, Z. (2008). “Neoliberal Urbanism and Sustainability of Cultural Heritage”.

Aig- Imoukhuede, F. (1987). “Exploiting Nigeria’s Cultural Heritage for Nation Building”. In
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