Tourism industry has become one of the largest and the most influential among the global industries.

It is
a vital contributor to the economy of many countries as it creates jobs, initiates exports, and generates
wealth across the world. According to the annual analysis of World Tourism and Travel Council
[WTTC], (2018), in 2017 the tourism and travel show a 10.4% share of world GDP and 313 million jobs
or 9.9% of overall employment. The tourism industry is made up of four basic sectors: attraction,
accommodation, transportation, and ancillary services sales and distribution (Camilleri, 2018). Through
contributions of all its components, the tourism industry brings more revenue and prosperity and mobility
among different countries.
In the case of Ethiopia, the tourism industry has been growing over the years, but the issue of tourism
sustainability has not been sufficiently addressed yet. However, there are starting of sustainable tourism
development in the form of conservation of national parks, wildlife conservation areas, resort and ecology
developments, eco-tourism development, biosphere conservation, and community-based tourism. So far,
there is good starting but the sustainability practices progressing slowly due to many factors such as
social, economic, and political situations.
As the main component of the tourism industry, the Ethiopian hospitality sector is also progressing well.
Even though there are many challenges within the sector, the Ethiopian hotel industry is steadily growing
since the last two decades Kifle (2012). According to ‘the study of hotel sector investment in Ethiopia,
conducted by Gobena & Gudeta (2013), thirty-seven investors have taken an investment permit from
Addis Ababa Investment Agency to invest in star-rated hotels in Addis Ababa. According to a survey
study carried out by the W-hospitality group, currently, the number of international and regional hotel
chains in the pipeline in Ethiopia has grown from 20 hotels in 2017 to 31 hotels in 2018, in which 25
hotel locations are in Addis Ababa (Trevor, 2018). This study reveals that, currently, followed by Kenya,
Ethiopia is leading East Africa in Hotel expansion. By this time, according to Ministry of Culture and
Tourism, in Addis Ababa alone, there are more than 129 tourist recommended hotels.
The study area is located in North Showa Zone of Amhara National Regional State. The Merhabete
Woreda capital, Alem Ketema, is located at a distance of 183 km to the north of Addis Ababa and 130 km
North-West of the Zonal Capital Debre Brehan. It has a total area of 1,121.53 km' . The Woreda is
surrounded by two rivers, Jama from the south and Wenchet from the north, the two rivers tributaries to
Nile River. (MWIO 2007:2).

Topography
According to the Woreda Agricultural and rural development office, 40% of the land is characterized by
hills, 20% as mountainous, 15% as gorge and 20% as plain. These figures could show us how rugged and
mountainous the Woreda is.
Temprature
Around Alemketema, the air temperature shows some seasonal changes with an average of 17.8 °C
during Kiremt (June to September) season, 19.3 °C during Bega (October‐January) season, and 21.2 °C
during Belg (February‐May) season. The minimum and maximum temperature ranges from 12.5 °C to
28.0 °C (Table 1.3 (a) and Fig. 1.3 (a)). Seasonal changes in air temperature at Meragna is smaller with
minimum and maximum temperatures ranging
from 10.6 °C to 25.4 °C (Table 1.3 (b) and Fig. 1.3 (b)). The long-term average annual precipitation
from Alemketema meteorology
station is 1038 mm/year for the twenty assessed years.
According to the results from these stations it‘s observed that most of the major rainfall in the
study area occurs during the summer season mainly from June to September (Fig 1.4 (a), (b)
and (c)). Whereas, there is somewhat low rainfall occurrence in November and January. The
rainfall peaks in July or August at about 330 to 520 mm per month. On the other hand it is
obvious that rainfall during the dry season from October to May, tends to be low.