The Ethiopian Ministry of Tourism and the Chinese Embassy in Ethiopia have launched a Chinese language training program for Ethiopian professional tour guides.

The program, offered by the Confucius Institute at Addis Ababa University, aims to help some 60 tour guides gain basic Chinese language proficiency in the next three weeks.

With Ethiopia's strong socioeconomic and people-to-people ties with China, the initiative is expected to enable Ethiopia to better tap into the fast-growing Chinese outbound tourism industry.

Addressing the launch ceremony Tuesday in Addis Ababa, the capital, Ethiopian Minister of Tourism Selamawit Kassa said the training program will contribute to better services for Chinese tourists visiting Ethiopia.

Noting that the tourism industry now accounts for one in 10 jobs and 10 percent of global gross domestic product (GDP), the minister said the industry has great potential to advance Ethiopia's sustainable socioeconomic development efforts.

"Today, the Chinese Embassy is providing the long-awaited Mandarin language training for our national tour guides," she said. "This is an excellent start to assist our ministry to achieve its plan of making the Chinese market a core market."

Teaching materials are tailored to the needs of trainees from Ethiopia's tourism and hospitality sector, according to the Confucius Institute at Addis Ababa University.

Chen Hai, Chinese ambassador to Ethiopia, said the tourism industry plays an important role in promoting the economic and social development of both China and Ethiopia. There is great potential for tourism cooperation between China and Ethiopia, both ancient civilizations with many world-renowned cultural and natural places of interest attracting tourists from all over the world.

"Tour guides speaking foreign languages are considered the valuable talent in developing a country's inbound tourism," he said. "It is expected that the training class shall help more Ethiopian tour guides not only acquire the Chinese language but also learn Chinese culture so that they could offer better services to Chinese tourists by telling vivid stories of Ethiopia, contributing more to the tourism cooperation and exchanges between our two countries."

Endy Assefa, president of the Ethiopian Tourist Guides Professional Association, described the Chinese language training program as a significant opportunity for Ethiopian professional tour guides.

"This initiative marks a new chapter in the history of our profession and our nation's tourism industry," he said. "Tourist guides are the storytellers of a country. We are the first point of contact for visitors, shaping their perception and ensuring they leave with unforgettable memories."

"China is more than a market. It is a gateway to the future. By learning the Chinese language, we are not just acquiring a skill. We are building bridges for cultural exchange, understanding, and growth," Assefa said. "Through tourism, we will exchange stories, ideas, and values, strengthening the people-to-people connections that make nations thrive."