Tourism in

Djibouti Djibouti, ar, جيبوتي ', french: link=no, Djibouti, so, Jabuuti officially the Republic of Djibouti, is a country in the Horn of Africa, bordered by Somalia to the south, Ethiopia to the southwest, Eritrea in the north, and the Red ...

is one of the growing economic sectors of the country and is an industry that generates 53,000 and 73,000 arrivals per year, with its favorable beaches and climate and also including islands and beaches in the

Gulf of Tadjoura The Gulf of Tadjoura (; ) is a gulf or basin of the Indian Ocean in the Horn of Africa. It lies south of the straits of Bab-el-Mandeb, or the entrance to the Red Sea, at . The gulf has many fishing grounds, extensive coral reefs, and abundant pe ...

and the

Bab al-Mandab The Bab-el-Mandeb (Arabic: , , ) is a strait between Yemen on the Arabian Peninsula, and Djibouti and Eritrea in the Horn of Africa. It connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden. Name The strait derives its name from the dangers attendin ...

. The main tourist activities are

scuba diving Scuba diving is a mode of underwater diving whereby divers use breathing equipment that is completely independent of a surface air supply. The name "scuba", an acronym for " Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus", was coined by Chr ...

, fishing,

trekking Backpacking is the outdoor recreation of carrying gear on one's back, while hiking for more than a day. It is often an extended journey, and may involve camping outdoors. In North America tenting is common, where simple shelters and mountain h ...

and

hiking Hiking is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century.AMATO, JOSEPH A. "Mind over Foot: Romantic Walking and Rambling." In ''On Foot: A Histor ...

, discovering the

nomadic A nomad is a member of a community without fixed habitation who regularly moves to and from the same areas. Such groups include hunter-gatherers, pastoral nomads (owning livestock), tinkers and trader nomads. In the twentieth century, the popu ...

way, bird watching, and sun, sea and sand.

Overview

At Goubbet-al-Kharab, near the western end of the

, there are steep cliffs and a bay that was turned dark green by black lava. A number of active volcanoes are located inland from here. Another popular tourist attraction is the

Day Forest National Park Day Forest National Park, also known as Forêt du Day National Park, is a national park in the Goda Mountains and Tadjourah Region of Djibouti. Flora Along with Mount Mabla, the Forêt du Day National Park is one of Djibouti's two remnant area ...

for conserving rare trees on Mount Goda. Near the town of

Ali Sabieh Ali Sabieh ( so, Cali Sabiix, ar, علي صبيح) is the second largest city in Djibouti. It is situated about Southwest of Djibouti City and north of the border with Ethiopia. It sprawls on a wide basin surrounded by granitic mountains on all ...

are famously red mountains and a national park full of many gazelles. The coastal plains, mountain ranges, and volcanic plateaus of the country make a picturesque sight. Some popular local attractions include the Presidential Palace, the Central Market, Maskali Islands,

Moucha Island Moucha Island is a small coral island off the coast of Djibouti. It is located at the center of the Gulf of Tadjoura. The island is part of the Djibouti Region; the island has a total population of about 20 inhabitants, which increases consider ...

Lake Abbe Lake Abbe, also known as Lake Abhe Bad, is a salt lake, lying on the Ethiopia-Djibouti border. It is one of a chain of six connected lakes, which also includes (from north to south) lakes Gargori, Laitali, Gummare, Bario and Afambo. The lake i ...

and Lake Assal. The coastlines of Djibouti harbor many stretches of beaches that are frequented by sun bathers and other visitors. The Djiboutian government, realizing the great potential of development of national tourism, takes a variety of measures for this - for example, the maximum mode facilitating foreign investment in tourism infrastructure. Priority is given to the construction of hotels and the construction of roads that meet the latest international standards.

Regulation

The tourist industry in Djibouti is regulated by the Ministry of Commerce and Tourism. According to the UNWTO, the annual number of tourists visiting the country is uncertain. However, international tourism locally generated $21 million USD in revenue in 2012.

Arrivals by country

According to Office National du Tourisme de Djibouti (ONTD) figures, almost half of all visitors, or 48%, came from

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...

, with 21% arriving from other

European countries The list below includes all entities falling even partially under any of the regions of Europe, various common definitions of Europe, geographical or political. Fifty generally recognised sovereign states, Kosovo with limited, but substantial, ...

. The third-largest group came from Gulf states. Visitors from

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...

represented just 6%, with the majority of them coming from

Ethiopia Ethiopia, , om, Itiyoophiyaa, so, Itoobiya, ti, ኢትዮጵያ, Ítiyop'iya, aa, Itiyoppiya officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a landlocked country in the Horn of Africa. It shares borders with Eritrea to the ...

. Finally, visitors from

Asia Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an are ...

and North America represented minor percentages at 5% and 3%, respectively.

Attractions

Djibouti has a number of local attractions, consisting of historical sites, National Park, beaches and mountain ranges.

Local attractions

Djibouti City Djibouti (also called Djibouti City and in many early English texts and on many early maps, Jibuti; so, Magaalada Jabuuti, french: link=no, Ville de Djibouti, ar, مدينة جيبوتي, aa, Gabuutî Magaala) is the eponymous capital of Dji ...

- The People Palace * Djibouti City - Rue Venice * Djibouti City - The Presidential Palace

Day Forest National Park

established in 1939, protects the Goda Mountains. and also is the largest forest in Djibouti.

Foods

Djibouti has many popular restaurants serving their local foods to tourists.

Historical sites

Tadjoura Tadjoura ( aa, Tagórri; ar, تاجوراء ''Tağūrah''; so, Tajuura) is one of the oldest towns in Djibouti and the capital of the Tadjourah Region. The town evolved into an early Islamic center with the arrival of Muslims shortly after the ...

– Korijib is one of the oldest mosques in the Horn of Africa. * Djibouti City – The Grand Mosque of Hamoudi. *

Loyada Loyada ( ar, لويعدا , so, Lowyacadde) is a small town in Djibouti. Located in the Arta Region, it is the only official border crossing from Djibouti into Somaliland. It is situated on the west coast of Gulf of Aden, from the capital, Djib ...

– Beach and palm grove, with the tombs of important historical leaders in the region.

Beaches

* Siesta Beach – Djibouti City * Red Sea Beach – Near

Obock Obock (also Obok, aa, Hayyú) is a small port town in Djibouti. It is located on the northern shore of the Gulf of Tadjoura, where it opens out into the Gulf of Aden. The town is home to an airstrip and has ferries to Djibouti City. The Frenc ...

* Khor Ambado – Near Djibouti City * Le Sable Blanc –

* Heron Beach – Djibouti City

Mountain ranges

* Goda Mountains *

Arrei Mountains The Arrei Mountains also known as the "Roof of Ali Sabieh", are a mountain range in the southern Ali Sabieh Region in Djibouti. With an average elevation of above sea level, the sixth highest point in Djibouti, they are situated near the border wi ...

* Mabla Mountains * Garbi

Islands

* Maskali Islands *

Seven Brothers Islands The Seven Brothers Islands, also known as the Sawabi Islands or Seba Islands, is an archipelago in the Dact-el-Mayun section of the Bab-el-Mandeb strait (between the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden). They are within the Obock District of Djibouti, ...

Salt lakes

* Lake Assal

References

{{Tourism in Africa