National Geographic MapGuide Launched
Addis Ababa, December 16, 2011 (Addis Ababa) - The National Geographic MapGuide designed to showcase to the national and international audiences the natural and cultural attractions that define the Central and Southern Rift Valley areas was launched here on Thursday. Director-General of the Authority for Research and Conservation of Cultural Heritage with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Yonas Desta on the occasion said the MapGuide will fill the tourism information gap in the country. The MapGuide is the first in Ethiopia and the second Geo-Tourism MapGuide in Africa, the director said. Efforts are underway to expand such kind of activities to other attraction sites of the country, he said, adding, currently, 10,000 copies of the MapGuide have been readied to be distributed among tourists. He also lauded USAID and Ethiopian Sustainable Tourism Alliance (ESTA) as well as the Horn of Africa Regional Environment Centre for taking the initiative in helping to develop