Data from the travel intelligence agency ForwardKeys shows Addis Ababa’s Bole International Airport has overtaken Dubai as the leading gateway to the region. The upswing is in large parts thanks to Ethiopian Airlines (ET), which has dominated Africa’s skies in the last decade. It also a set in motion a China-funded, $345m expansion plan at Addis Ababa’s Bole airport which is projected to raise the annual passenger capacity from 7 million to 22 million. The rise of Bole airport and Ethiopian could also mean more direct transatlantic flights from North America with Addis Ababa as the first stop rather than London, Paris or Frankfurt. ForwardKeys said these relaxed visa regimes were crucial if African airlines and nations are to attract more international travelers.

Source: Ethiopian News November 29, 2018 05:24 UTC