Cultural Heritage Tourism Potentials and Determinants of Tourism Development in Wore Illu Town, Amhara, Ethiopia

Abstract

This paper critically examines cultural heritage tourism potentials in the historic town of Worra Illu town and factors affecting the development of tourism industry. For the purpose of collecting, presenting and analyzing data, qualitative research approaches were employed. The researchers used both primary and secondary sources of data. Oral information was collected from government officials, tourism experts of different levels and local community leaders in Dessie city and Worra Illu town. The collected data from the various sources reveal that Worra Illu district encompasses several cultural heritage and cultural heritages. In the town, there are spectacular and magnificent heritage sites such as the palace compound of Emperor Menelik II, the church of Dabira Salām St. Giorgis and the tomb house of Dejazmach Habta Mariam. Worra Illu was a place where the victory of the battle of Adwa was conceived. It was a place where people from various corners of the country came together and formed Ethiopian solidarity. It was also a place that Ethiopian hospitability was attested. Even though the area has a huge number of
heritage sites, most of them are not in proper condition. Unprofessional conservation, lack of awareness about the socio-economic and cultural significance of heritage resources and problems with inadequate infrastructure and few promotional tools have created a bottleneck to the development of tourism and heritage management in the study area.