TRADITIONAL HANDICRAFTS, CREATIVITY ART AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH TOURISM MARKETING

Abstract

In a country like Ethiopia where diversified ethnic groups integrate and live together, there are a number of material traditions, arts and crafts to facilitate the day to day life activities of the people. Craft works are one of the components affecting visitor’s attraction and tourism improvement will moreover be incited by development of art & crafted works generation and offer. However, creating association between the tourism industry and these traditional handicraft and creativity art works have been given less attention where a huge economic benefit could have been born from this sectors in terms crating economic benefits to these craft workers, promoting countries ancient history of craft and art to the rest of the world and adding tourism attraction packages. Hence, this study will focus on the relationship between traditional handicraft and creativity art works and tourism marketing practices, the related challenges, opportunities and counteractive measures to be taken for emphasizing positive effect of the tourism industry on this sector.