The Gonderian Period Bridges of Ethiopia: Status and Prospects for Tourism

Abstract

Abstract Heritage and Tourism are invariably closely interlinked. This article describes the Gonderian period (1508 -1784) bridges, their status and their uses for tourism. It provides insights and information about the bridges that were constructed in Ethiopia. A qualitative study approach was used which was descriptive in its research design. Both primary and secondary data were collected through focus group discussions, interviews, personal observations and document analysis. The targeted informants for the data collection were local historians, employees working in tourism offices and bureaux at all levels and various tourist guides selected purposively by means of a snowball sampling technique. The data was analyzed and presented thematically. It describes eight bridges of the period and ascertained that they are not yet used for any tourism purpose. All the bridges have a lack of conservation problem such as artificial maintenance, poor road access leading to heavy traffic on them, urbanization and development pressure, agricultural expansion, a lack of attention from the government’s side, a lack of awareness from the local community, documentation problems, heritage zoning issues (core and buffer zone demarcation) and clear rights of ownership. The researchers recommend that the bridges should be promoted as tourism and heritage sites and infrastructure should be developed in order to use the bridges for tourism. Conservation management plans must be prepared, core and and buffer zones must be delineated and alternative roads must be constructed. Furthermore it is posited that community awareness must be boosted with constant training on the importance of heritage as a source of tourism income and of course, for better maintenance and conservation of the bridges which have great historical value.