DETERMINANTS OF TOURIST ARRIVAL: IN CASE OF ETHIOPIA, KENYA, TANZANIA, AND UGANDA

Abstract

The general objective of the study was to find out the determinants of international tourist arrival in case of Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda using panel data from 1995 unto 2018.The study has employed quantitative method of data analysis.and it’s expecting that the findings of the research will offer an input for regional policy makers to assess the empirical evidence when they intend to design ecotourism development. All the necessary data were collected from secondary source like World Bank, world tourism and travel council, and united nation world tourism organization annual reports. Panel data regression was employed to analyze the determinants of international tourist arrival. Finally we found that the telecom infrastructure -like percentage of the population using the internet, the percentage change in the mobile subscribes, percentage change in the capacity of air transport in terms of passenger carrying capacity annually, the life expectancy of total population and the devaluation official exchange rate positive determine the international tourist arrival in case of Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. Whereas, the increment in the percentage of urban population negatively and significantly determines international tourist arrival in Ethiopia, Kenya Tanzania and Uganda. Based on the findings the researcher has recommended that the governments and those who have concern about the tourism of Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania and Uganda should works towards in the improvements of telecommunications, air transport passenger capacity , and on the improvement of nations life expectancy to get an anticipated growth on the tourist arrival in those countries.