25 Oct 2016

 

Maun International Airport renovations would be complete in the next four years, permanent secretary in the Ministry of Transport and Communications Mr Neil Fitt has said.

Mr Fitt was answering concerns raised by stakeholders about the airport at the aviation pitso held in Maun recently.

He said short term developments for the airport involved merging the two domestic and international departure lounges to make an international departure lounge and turning the domestic lounge into the international lounge, as well as a shelter adjacent to serve as the domestic lounge.

However, Mr Fitt said the renovation for the Maun International Airport was at an initial stage and the process was expected to be complete in about four years. 

The Hospitality and Tourism Association Botswana (HATAB) chief executive officer Ms Lily Rakorong suggested an urgent solution to the Maun International Airport be found.

Ms Rakorong said clients were faced with congestion at the Maun International Airport an issue which may affect the aviation and tourism industry negatively.

She noted that transport and tourism were intertwined therefore a challenge to aviation was a concern for the tourism industry.

Ms Rakorong also called for liberalization of the air space which would foresee better service delivery. 

In his remarks, the Wilderness Air Botswana general manager Mr Alex Henderson said aviation pitso was a unique forum where stakeholders met to discuss issues of mutual concern in order to advance the industry. 

Mr Henderson encouraged spirit of togetherness in the industry to improve on service excellence in the form of reliable air transport that takes into consideration safety compliance and risk mitigation whilst enhancing efficiencies and economics. 

He expressed hope for the local airports to become international hubs as evidenced from regional and international airports.

“Take for instance areas like the Middle-East and Asia-Pacific; clear examples that aviation is a formidable economic source. 

Cities like Dubai, Doha and Singapore have become vibrant cosmopolitan world centres and they largely owe that to civil aviation activities or air transport business,” he said. 

 He cited other regional airports as Livingstone in Zambia and Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe. ENDS