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THE ROLE OF TOURISM AND CULTURAL HERITAGE CONSERVATION FOR NATION ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS IN CASE ATSIE FASIL GHIMB, GONDAR, ETHIOPIA [Abstract ID: 0105-02]
Cultural heritage one of the excellent parts of the tourism industry. It is powerful for national economic development. Gondar town, in Northern Ethiopia, has won the admired status of a classified UNESCO world cultural heritage locally known as the Atsie Fasil Ghimb. This site has great potential for sustainable tourism development, as it plays a significant role to attract tourist and contributes national economic developments. The purpose of the study is the role of tourism and cultural heritages conservation for national economic developments in Atsie Fasil Ghimb. The study was conducted (2015) in Gondar. Both primary and secondary data sources were used. The study was based on a cross-sectional survey of 135 sample size was selected based on direct impact on tourism sector (23 professional, 45 tourism services provide like guiders, guide associations, loges, tourist destination hotels, handicraft producers and sellers and government employees, 54 was taken from domestic and international tourists, and 13 purposely selected key informant). Data were analyzed using SPSS and Microsoft excel. The result of survey revealed that 82% responded that tourism significantly contributes to the local and national economy. Tourism generates high income and employment opportunities to local communities. The number of those who joined the sector as government employee has increased from 2000 employees in 2011 and increases to 4800 in 2015. The number of employees engaged in hotels, restaurants, pensions, lodges etc. revealed that there are about 5500 persons employed excluding other indirect employees and the income level increased from birr 80,000 and birr 300,000 in 2007 to birr 1,230,000 and 7,768,019 in 2015 from domestic and foreign tourists respectively. Developing a creative promotional program, coordination among relevant stakeholders, conservation and protection of heritage sites and active participation of both private and public sector are necessary to implement heritage tourism marketing.