ADDIS ABABA, May 18 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopian Airlines, Africa's largest and fastest-growing airline, inaugurated a Chinese-built domestic passenger terminal in Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital, on Saturday.
The Ethiopian national flag carrier's newly inaugurated 50 million-U.S. dollar domestic passenger terminal project at Bole International Airport, which includes major expansion and renovation works, is set to more than double the terminal's annual passenger handling capacity.
Mesfin Tassew, chief executive officer (CEO) of Ethiopian Airlines, said during the occasion that the Addis Ababa domestic terminal, which connects the Ethiopian capital with more than 20 domestic destinations across the East African country, serves as an important facility for facilitating the country's integration, socio-economic development, and promoting the tourism and hospitality sector.
He said that amid the fast-growing demand for domestic air transport services and recent developments in the country's tourism sector, the domestic terminal in Addis Ababa has necessitated major expansion and renovation works to meet the growing demand.
The CEO noted that the new terminal, built by China Communications Construction Company (CCCC), will not only increase the airline's capacity to handle more travelers but also enhance passengers' overall travel experience to an international standard of domestic air transport service.
The terminal expansion and renovation work, which expanded the facility two-fold to 25,270 square meters, equips the terminal with state-of-the-art passenger handling facilities, said Tassew.
The Ethiopian national flag carrier said that its focus on boosting passenger experience aligns with the airline's broader aspiration of solidifying Ethiopia's position as a global tourism destination.
Ethiopian Minister of Tourism Nasise Chali said that the renovated and expanded domestic passenger terminal will play a crucial role in streamlining the country's tourism sector by providing a better travel experience to domestic and international travelers and tourists, while also augmenting the country's image.
Ethiopian Airlines is currently implementing a 15-year strategic plan, called Vision 2035, aiming to become one of the most competitive and leading aviation groups in the world by providing safe, secure, market-driven and customer-focused passenger and cargo transport, aviation training, airport management and ground services, among others.
The inauguration event was attended by senior Ethiopian government officials, senior executives of Ethiopian Airlines and representatives of the project contractor.
