25 Sep 2014

Local communities have not taken an active role in participating in the tourism industry, chairman of Chobe Enclave Conservation Trust, Mr Amos Mabuku has said.

Speaking at the Chobe District world tourism day on September 24, Mr Mabuku urged residents to venture into tourism both as communities and individuals. “Besides being employed in the local hotels and lodges, few locals have entered the industry as investors,” he noted.

He said there were opportunities for locals in the tourism industry that could be embarked upon to diversify the tourism product away from nature based activities emphasisng that boat cruises and game drives were Chobe’s major tourist activities.

“This allows an average length of stay of two nights due to limited activities,” he opined.  Opportunities like cultural villages, traditional dancing, traditional cuisine, craft production were some examples that locals could embark on thus increasing the length of stay for visitors who will ultimately spend more money.

He also called for environmental conservation with the view that tourism had been and will continue being mainly nature based.  “This applies to both the host and communities and the tourist themselves lest the very resources upon which tourism depends are destroyed,” he warned.

Chobe Enclave Conservation Trust (CECT) he said was the first community based natural resource management initiative in the country.  CECT is the owner of Ngoma safari Lodge, an achievement which gives testimony of the trust’s growth.

The theme for the day was “Tourism and community development.” World Tourism Day is an opportunity to reflect on the importance of tourism to global and community well-being.

Mr Mabuku noted that Chobe has positioned itself as the tourism hub of Botswana mainly due to its abundant wildlife populations and other nature resources. ENDS