11 Jun 2013

The new Botswana Guides Association (BOGA) chairperson, Mr Duncan Enga says his association needs to work closer with government to promote citizen empowerment in the tourism industry.

Speaking in an interview recently, Mr Enga said as the association's new leader after being voted in during the 2013 annual general meeting, he has made it his priority to engage government on challenges affecting citizen-owned tourism businesses.

He said some of these challenges were policy issues that make it difficult for Batswana-owned tourism businesses to prosper.

Mr Enga however said his association needs to adopt an advisory role to the government on these policy issues other than just being critical of the government.

He further revealed that he would strive to change the association’s image as a seemingly anti-government body.

On other issues, Mr Enga said the association is also planning to conduct a massive membership drive across the country.

Currently, he said, the majority of their members are operators in Maun and Kasane, saying there is a need to ensure all guides across Botswana become part of BOGA.

Mr Enga noted that the majority of BOGA members are citizens who own small to medium tourism businesses.

Department of Wildlife and National Parks' director, Mr Oduetse Koboto said government was ready to empower members of the association in their businesses.

“The ministry does not want bottlenecks for your businesses. Our role is to facilitate growth for the tourism sector. We do not want situations where the ministry and the industry may seem to be opponents,” he said.

Mr Koboto further told the gathering that the ecotourism guidelines for forest reserves have been reviewed for them to be opened for tourism activities. 

He said the reviewed guidelines would be implemented this year and challenged the operators to exploit this opportunity to grow and diversify their products.

On other issues, Mr Koboto appealed to the mobile sector to help in the war against rising poaching levels by reporting any suspicious incidents when they do their tours in the wildlife areas. 

BOGA’s mandate is to promote citizen empowerment in the tourism industry. It currently has 130 members.  ENDS