Research Article
Unlocking Ethiopia’s Geoheritage: A Comprehensive Review of Geotourism Potential, Constraints, and Development Directions
Amana Omer Adem*
,
Belayihun Shewangzaw Birara
Issue:
Volume 1, Issue 2, June 2026
Pages:
74-84
Received:
21 January 2026
Accepted:
2 March 2026
Published:
17 March 2026
Abstract: Ethiopia possesses one of the world’s most remarkable geological landscapes, shaped by the East African Rift System and marked by active volcanism, extensive escarpments, deep gorges, alkaline lakes, and globally significant paleoanthropological sites. Despite this exceptional geoheritage, geotourism remains an underdeveloped niche within the country’s tourism sector, which has historically focused on cultural and ecological attractions. This systematic review synthesizes existing academic, policy, and geological literature to assess Ethiopia’s geotourism resources and critically examine their actual and potential contributions to Local Economic Development (LED). Using an integrated Sustainable Geotourism Development Framework, the study classifies geotourism assets, evaluates current development conditions, and analyzes socio-economic benefits, constraints, and future opportunities. Findings indicate that geotourism can significantly enhance LED by generating employment, stimulating micro- and small-scale enterprises, improving infrastructure, promoting gender-inclusive livelihoods, and strengthening cultural and geological stewardship within local communities. However, the sector is constrained by severe infrastructural gaps, weak geo-interpretative services, environmental degradation, policy fragmentation, and limited community participation. Case studies from the Simien Mountains and the Afar Depression highlight both the transformative potential of geotourism and the persistent challenge of revenue leakage away from host communities. Despite these constraints, Ethiopia holds substantial opportunities to position geotourism as a strategic pillar of sustainable development through policy reform, institutional coordination, UNESCO Global Geopark initiatives, technological innovation, and community-based enterprise models. The review concludes by proposing a comprehensive set of policy, institutional, and community-level recommendations aimed at embedding geotourism within Ethiopia’s broader economic and conservation agendas. Overall, geotourism represents a promising, yet underutilized pathway for inclusive, resilient, and place-based development in Ethiopia.
Abstract: Ethiopia possesses one of the world’s most remarkable geological landscapes, shaped by the East African Rift System and marked by active volcanism, extensive escarpments, deep gorges, alkaline lakes, and globally significant paleoanthropological sites. Despite this exceptional geoheritage, geotourism remains an underdeveloped niche within the count...
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Research Article
Financial Inclusion in Northeast India: A Multidimensional State-Level Analysis Using Sarma’s Distance Method
Ritesh Sahani*,
Rajat Sharmacharjee
Issue:
Volume 1, Issue 2, June 2026
Pages:
85-94
Received:
3 April 2026
Accepted:
15 April 2026
Published:
24 April 2026
DOI:
10.11648/j.im.20260102.12
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Abstract: Financial inclusion particularly in regions with socio-economic challenges such as Northeast India, is a critical primary driver of social development and economic growth. This study seeks to analyses the financial inclusion across eight North-Eastern states of India- Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura, Sikkim- by using a multidimensional approach which comprises three key dimensions of financial inclusion: Banking penetration, availability, and usage. Data were collected from secondary sources, including Database on Indian Economy (RBI), NABARD State Focus Papers and Census data. As the sample size is small and low correlation among variables, Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was not suited. Therefore, the study uses Sarma’s distance method (2008) to construct Financial Inclusion Index (FII) for eight states. The result of the study reveals significant disparities across states: Sikkim (FII= 0.58) and Mizoram (FII= 0.523) show high financial inclusion among the eight states and fall in medium inclusion category, because of robust banking access and penetration, while Nagaland (FII= 0.16), and Arunachal Pradesh (FII= 0.273), and Meghalaya (FII=0.192) display low financial inclusion, which reflects limited banking infrastructure and usage. Assam, Manipur, and Tripura fall in medium financial inclusion. The findings of the study underline the need of effective policy in lagging states to improve access and usage of financial services. The study contributes to the existing knowledge by providing a comparative state-level analysis of financial inclusion in North-East India, which helps policymakers, financial institutions and researchers in designing financial inclusion strategies.
Abstract: Financial inclusion particularly in regions with socio-economic challenges such as Northeast India, is a critical primary driver of social development and economic growth. This study seeks to analyses the financial inclusion across eight North-Eastern states of India- Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura, Sikkim-...
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