10 Apr 2014

The Botswana Tourism Organisation (BTO) will once again stage the annual Khawa Dune Challenge and Cultural Festival slated for May 2 and 3.

This was announced during a press conference at BTO offices in Gaborone on April 9. The two-day event would be a family oriented one with sports, fun activities and camping.

The Ministry of Youth, Sport and Culture will work with BTO as one of the partners in the project. “This relationship will benefit the country in a big way as we continue to look at the culture and sport opportunities in Botswana that we can use for product diversification,” the acting chief executive officer of the BTO, Thabo Dithebe, said during a press briefing this week.

Dithebe said the event had been growing. This year, organisers promoted the Khawa Dune Challenge and Cultural Festival outside Botswana. Benefits that accrue to Khawa residents include business opportunities and the promotion of the area as a tourism destination. Last year, the Khawa Village Development Committee raised P18 375 from the event.

This will be the third edition of the Khawa Dune Challenge and Cultural Festival. At least 3 000 people attended last year’s event and they were aged between 21 and 35. Fifty-eight riders registered for the 2013 event but eight of them did not turn up.

The Khawa Dune Challenge and Cultural Festival previously attracted racers from South Africa and the BTO wants to attract even more tourists to visit the Kgalagadi area this year.

Dithebe also said the event was a cultural exchange tool that brought together the local community and tourists to network and share experiences whilst enjoying the taste of the unique Kgalagadi arts and culture.

Botswana Motor Sport is another partner in this project and has been part of it since it started. Ends