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GV Addis Hilton
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SV and PAN Minister Abdurahman entering
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SV Audience seated
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SV Abdurahman speaking to audience
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GV Audience (2 shots)
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SV Top table with Minister speaking in background
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SVs Audience listening and applaud (3 shots)
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Initials ET/1645 ET/1657



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: Ethiopia on Thursday (22 August) announced a major drive to try to regain tourists lost during the last three months because of the unsettled political situation.

The Minister in charge of Tourism Mohammed Abdurahman told a large gathering of people involved in the tourist trade in Addis Ababa that tourism in Ethiopia had fallen by between 30 and 40 per cent compared with the same period last year.

He said that reports of recent events in Ethiopia had been distorted in the foreign press and this had an adverse effect on the tourist trade.

To try to offset this impression Mr Addurahman said that a Steering Committee set up to encourage the tourists to the country planned to invite over 100 travel agents, tour operators and journalists to Ethiopia in October.

They would be able to see the beauty of the countryside and also to get in the right perspective the peace and tranquility of Ethiopia, said Mr. Abdurahman.

SYNOPSIS: The unsettled political situation in Ethiopia has badly affected tourism. On Thursday Tourism Minister Mohammed Abdurahman announced an new drive to bring back the missing tourists.

Diplomats, Ethiopian travel agents and businessmen, heard that during the last three months more than thirty per cent fewer tourists visited Ethiopia.

Mr. Abdurahman said reports of recent events in Ethiopia had been distorted in the foreign press. And this had an adverse effect on tourism.

The Minister announced one hundred travel agents, tour operators and journalists would be invited to visit Ethiopia in October. He said they would see the great beauty of Ethiopia and the tranquility of the country.