11 Jun 2017

Chobe legislator, Mr Machana Shamukuni has advised Botswana Guides Association (BOGA) members to adhere to their work ethics in order to grow their businesses.

Mr Shamukuni said work ethics were important especially in the tourism industry adding that their reception towards tourists reflected how the country welcomed visitors in terms of customer service.

He made the plea during the association’s annual conference held under the theme: 'To empower Batswana to benefit from their natural resources.'

Still at the conference, Mr Shamukuni hailed BOGA for taking the lead in spearheading citizen empowerment in tourism industry, saying they were also driving government efforts of encouraging citizen participation.

He noted that since existence of the association, many Batswana had shown interests in venturing into tourism activities.

In addition, he indicated that the association prided itself with over 300 individual members and 86 companies which were citizen-owned.

Mr Shamukuni observed that initially foreigners took the lead in the industry but things have changed.

The MP underscored the need for government to engage the association as it had interest to represent Batswana noting that the association was also making efforts to diversify the country’s economy.

The theme, he said was relevant to the broad national goal of diversifying the economy away from minerals and that of employment creation towards sustainable development.

He explained that the tourism sector contributed 3.7 per cent to the Gross National Product in 2017 adding that the sector had a potential of contributing 10 per cent through product diversification, use of available opportunities and innovation.

“The World Economic Forum Report on Travel and Tourism showed that Botswana has slid in global competitiveness and the weakest link is that of work ethics and overall competiveness. This poses a challenge for all key players to address this weakness individually and collectively,” he added.

Members also learnt that government had come up with some developments that were of interest to their association, bringing to attention, the recent launch of Park Committee comprising the private sector and public officers for all parks and reserves.

Other developments include the ecotourism guidelines for forest reserves which were implemented recently to open up forest reserves for tourism activities and introduction of the visitors’ levy which would be channeled towards infrastructure development.

He urged the association to take advantage and open forests reserves noting that they had lost most of the concessions in the Okavango Delta and Chobe enclave.

It was reported that out of 30 concessions in the delta, only four were 100 per cent citizen-owned.

Mr Shamukuni said that was disappointing as it translated that 70 per cent of income generated does not benefit the country.

For his part, North West District Council chairperson, Mr Duncan Enga appreciated efforts made by government in enhancing tourism industry but requested for consultation with affected parties.

He appreciated the introduction of visitor’s levy but decried lack of consultation. He also welcomed the park board noting that it was a move in the right direction as it hadworked wonders in other countries. ENDS