The Potential of Rock Art Tourism for Sustainable Socio – Economic Development: The Case of Harar – Dire Dawa Region, Southeastern Ethiopia.

Abstract

Prehistoric rock art is the earliest form of human communication system. It has aesthetic, spiritual, socio-cultural and artistic values. Ethiopia in general and the Dire Dawa –Harar region in particular is endowed with rock art sites with various themes. However, the values mentioned above are not well known and prompted in a way that contributes to the socio economic development of the host community and the country at large. Many countries are developing their rock art sites as destination for sustainable tourism development. A number of researches are carried out on the meaning and interpretation of Ethiopian rock art sites. Nevertheless, research on rock art from the perspective of sustainable tourism development is almost neglected. Based on this, this research aimed to find the role of rock art tourism for sustainable socio-economic development in southeastern Ethiopia specifically Harar – Dire Dawa region with an added objective of describing the potential of rock art sites for tourism in Harar – Dire Dawa and in its environs; and examining trends of sustainable rock art tourism development and preparing a code of conducts for rock art tour using a mixed method of research design. The data analysis showed that rock art and its surrounding resources have a high potential for sustainable tourism development in the region under investigation. Therefore, this important resource should be properly managed and promoted to develop in to a significant tourist destination and there by assists the socio –economic development of the region.